3003
by gilthas
Summary: COMPLETE! 1000 years after Harry Potter's death, he and his heroics have decended into legend, but when a group of magic users get carried away, only Harry Potter himself can stand against the newest resurrection of the Dark Lord.
1. Prolouge

3003  
  
It's the year 3003. Myths and legends of the famous Harry Potter are no more than that-myths and legends. The world is 1000 years more advanced. Instead of Quidditch (which first lost the use of Bludgers and then was outlawed completely due to the frequency of injury) they play the game Quid, which is based on the old game, but without the actual being on the field. They use 3D devices. This world has little to no problems except for the centuries old cult that worships the spirit of evil. What happens when the cult goes a little too far? What if they bring back something they are not prepared to handle? How will the world defeat the ancient evil that uses cunning and magic over technology and computers? The same way it was defeated 1000 years ago.  
  
A/N: I couldn't quite figure out how to start this fic. My original idea was to introduce a new character, but that was out when I realized they'd have to be mentioned throughout the story and I really don't want to do that. So, the beginning may suck, but just go with it. I assure you it will get better soon.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Prologue  
  
The security guard for the Hangleton historic site shivered involuntarily. Those guys were back again. They were some sort of strange group that came by here every single night to the centuries old graveyard to one grave in particular. The writing on it had been carefully preserved-Tom Marvelo Riddle. It must have been either the son or the father because next to it were the graves of Tom Riddle and Nancy Riddle. But this group never went to the other two Riddle graves.  
  
Every night they did some sort of strange ritual and the guard would have loved dearly to tell them to leave and never come back, but the site was open 24 hours a day and as long as they didn't try to destroy anything, they were allowed to be there.  
  
They swept out in their long black cloaks, even in the summer's heat, oblivious to everyone. The first time he had seen them, the guard had looked on in curious interest, but now he was loath to look upon the site again. But as he kept his eyes carefully averted, he still heard every word. Not that he understood it. They were speaking in what was obviously an ancient language. They made strange lights appear, as though they thought they were doing magic. Even though the guard had never seen the devices to make such lights and sounds, he was sure they were hidden up their cloaks somewhere.  
  
He started. Tonight was different. He had practically memorized their little routine. They would presumably call roll, then they would begin the typical ritual.  
  
Tonight they didn't call roll. They called only one person who did not respond with the typical words. The figure walked forward and fell to his knees before the grave. The guard watched in fascination. The man took out a knife.  
  
"Hey!" the guard yelled seeing his opportunity to kick them out once and for all. "No weapons at the sight!" He began running over to the strange men. They ignored him completely.  
  
The man with the knife held out his hand and, the guard's horror, cut off his own hand!  
  
The guard clutched his stomach. There was blood everywhere. The man made a small noise of pain, but began speaking.  
  
"Ancient one! Come to us.we have given a small sacrifice!" He stopped, gasping in pain, but seemed determined to continue. "Please accept this offering such as was given during your last and fatal rein! Rise again to destroy those who destroyed you!"  
  
The ground began to shake. The guard stumbled, stricken still by the hand lying on the ground.  
  
The others in black robes seemed at last to acknowledge his presence. One of them grabbed him roughly by the back of his uniform and threw him onto grave where a horrible symbol of a skull with a snake protruding out of its mouth had appeared in the stone.  
  
"Accept the greater sacrifice!" the man who had thrown him yelled. "Let this Muggle's death be your rebirth!" A long knife appeared suddenly in the man's hand. "Let you rise from the blood of the unworthy and join your faithful servants of the new age!" The knife fell. The guard's scream pierce the night.  
  
The ground shook more violently. The people in black robes backed away from the grave where a giant crack had just appeared in the earth. A hand reached out of the crack, a bony, skeletal hand. It pulled itself up and attached to it was a sight that would make even the strongest of people quake in their shoes. It was a man such as hadn't been seen in over a millennium.  
  
The jet black hair was long and matted. The red eyes gleamed in the night like portals to hell itself. And on his deformed face was the rage of built up anger that needed an outlet. An anger that could destroy the world. Lord Voldemort was back.  
  
A/N: Whoop! I'm putting another story out! Amazing! Okay, not really. I know, really short chapter, but it's called the prologue for a reason. My next chapters should be a little more than 2 pages. Please review! 


	2. The Awakening

A/N: This was originally Chapter 2, but I have this thing where I don't like to procrastinate (not that I don't) so I thought I should get right to the chapter where everything happens. The next chapter will be the previous first chapter in the form of the current second chapter. I'm rather hoping I don't have to change anything...  
  
Chapter 1: The Awakening  
  
"Can someone please tell me how old Harry Potter was when his name was chosen for the new house at Hogwarts?"  
  
"27."  
  
"No..."  
  
"28!"  
  
"No."  
  
"He was already dead!"  
  
"Correct! Now, what year was it when he defeated Voldemort?"  
  
"7th?"  
  
"Yes, but I mean the date."  
  
"2006."  
  
"Excellent."  
  
The bell rang.  
  
"Remember, we have a test over Harry Potter and his fight against Voldemort next class!"  
  
There were groans from the classroom. Professor Grander grinned slightly.  
  
"We've been learning about Harry Potter since 1st year!" he heard one of the children complain to her friend. "Why can't we learn about something else?"  
  
"I think he was interesting," her friend said. "After all, he did all that stuff before he was 18. That's pretty impressive."  
  
"Yeah, but look at the way they dressed!"  
  
Their voices faded into the distance. Professor Grander sighed. This year was harder than usual for some reason. Maybe he was getting old. But that was ridiculous. He was only 35!  
  
Grander looked at his new schedule. He had a break this hour. He started to the teachers' lounge before changing his mind. There was nothing to do in there anyway. He turned his steps to the grounds. Perhaps he would take a walk around the lake. But as he was thinking this, his steps turned to the castle graveyard. Some of the kids said he was morbid for spending time there, but they had always said that. Besides, there was thousands of year old architecture in there. He was a history fanatic.  
  
Grander pushed the gate open and let himself into the graveyard. It was as though all his problems drained away when he was in here. It was more like a garden then a graveyard. He walked over to a tree and sat down in the shade. It was unusually hot for October. He was just pulling out his book when he heard a noise.  
  
He started. No one ever came in here other than him and the Herbology teacher who tended the vegetation. He cautiously stood up. He looked around a tree and saw a man with his back turned to him. He had a long black cloak on even in the heat so Grander couldn't tell anything from it. He was standing in front of a grave.  
  
Grander squinted at the name on the tombstone. Harry.Potter! Harry Potter's grave was in here? Grander watched the man to see what he was doing. He had pulled out his wand.  
  
He said a spell Grander didn't recognize. The dirt over the grave disappeared completely! He was grave robbing!  
  
"Hey!" Grander yelled. "Get away from that grave! That's a thousand years old, that is!"  
  
"I know it is," said a voice from the depths of the hood. "That's why I must destroy it. Master does not want it here."  
  
"Over my dead body!" Grander said, pulling out his wand.  
  
"That can be arranged," said the voice in the hood. He too drew his wand.  
  
"I don't want to fight you," Grander said, secretly scared. They learned magic in school, but technology was truly the future, not magic. Magic was what was holding them back. He had never actually cursed someone before.  
  
"What's wrong?" the man asked, reading his mind. "You not know any curses?"  
  
"I know enough," Grander said in what he hoped was a threatening way. He wasn't a Gryffindor or Potter! He was in Ravenclaw! He wasn't a fighter! He wasn't brave!  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" the man yelled. Grander dodged and looked at the man in alarm. That curse hadn't been use in hundreds of years!  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Grander shouted.  
  
"I am the servant of the greatest sorcerer of all time!"  
  
"Ha!" Grander said. They were on a topic he knew about. "I've read about many a great wizard! I see no sign of your wizard destroying the world for that is what they would have to do to be the greatest!"  
  
"You do not see them now," the man said. "But you both will and have. And soon you will wish that curse hit you!"  
  
He raised his hands and shouted, "Incendie! Moi cri sur ton furieux!''  
  
Grander watched in horror as lightning crackled. It hit the place where the man had stood moments before but had disappeared after his spells. Where the lightning had hit, fire sprung up. Grander was in shock for only a moment before springing into action. He pointed his wand at the flame, but just when he would have shot the spell to conjure water, he realized that he had forgotten it.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry Potter was suddenly aware of intense heat. It felt like he was on fire. He opened his eyes in alarm. Where was he? He appeared to be in some sort of hole in the ground. There were ashes all around him. He sat up. His head ached like someone had been hitting it with a hammer. This wasn't the time to worry about his head. He was going to burn to death! He stood up in the hole. He had no idea where he was, but it was completely on fire! He looked around and spotted his wand on the ground. He reached down to pick it up, but it was burning to the touch and he was forced to drop it again.  
  
He put his robe over his hand and picked up his wand again. It didn't burn. Harry touched it with his uncovered finger. It was very cool. Harry blinked in surprise and held it in his plain hand.  
  
He shook his head and pulled himself out of the hole. Now that he was out, he caught his breath. He was in a graveyard! He had been in a grave! He had been buried alive!  
  
No, he had died. Memories came flooding back to him and he became suddenly oblivious to the fire around him. Dumbledore had died the week after he, Harry, had defeated Voldemort. He remembered the funeral! He remembered graduating from Hogwarts! He looked down at himself. He looked 16! What was going on?  
  
He turned and saw the headstone above the grave he had found himself in.  
  
Harry Potter  
Order of Merlin, First Class  
President of the Order  
Grand Sorcerer  
Chief Warlock  
Supreme Mugwump  
President of International  
Confederation of Wizards  
  
Considered a hero to many, but considered a friend to us. His memory will live on in the hearts and mind in all those who knew him or  
of him.  
He will be sorely missed.  
  
Harry stumbled backwards. A burning branch fell not two feet from him. He jumped and remembered the fire. He shook his head and tried to pull himself together. He heard voices.  
  
"The fire's too big! I can't put it out this way!"  
  
Harry grabbed his wand and held it over his head. "Fleuve!" Water gushed into the air.  
  
* * *  
  
"Help!" Grander cried, looking around for something to put out the flames. "Help! Help!"  
  
There was nothing. Grander watching in helplessness as his beloved spot burned. He knew how to assemble a hover car. He could harness the power of gamma rays. He could not use his magical heritage to conjure water.  
  
He ran out of the garden, afraid of being consumed by the roaring flames. He ran as fast as he could back up to castle and into the staff room.  
  
"Fire!" He screamed as he ran through the halls. "Fire! Fire!"  
  
The teachers raced out of their rooms.  
  
"Tell me, man, where's the fire?"  
  
"In the cemetery," Grander said breathlessly.  
  
"To the cemetery!" screamed one of the teachers. "Students, go to your dormitories!"  
  
The kids left without question. The teachers ran to the cemetery.  
  
"There fire's too big! I can't put it out this way!" yelled one of the teachers who was squirting water at the blaze.  
  
Just when the situation was looking desperate, there was a sudden gush of water from the middle of the blaze. It covered all the fire with a great hissing noise. The smoke and steam covered everything in the cemetery.  
  
"What was that?" screamed one of the teachers.  
  
"It was a huge gush of water that came out of no where in the cemetery," said the sarcastic Slytherin head of house.  
  
There was silence. Everyone was looking into the steam that engulfed everything.  
  
"There's something in there!" Whispered the gardener.  
  
They could all see it now. There was a shadow moving inside the steam. It was moving toward the gate. The heard the creak as the steel gate opened. Everyone was holding their breath. Who was this person? The figure hesitated as it walked through the gate.  
  
It started walking towards them. One of the more easily scared professors screamed and bolted.  
  
Grander held back the urge to do the same. Power radiated off of this figure. It was an impressive sight. The figure began to come into greater light as the smoke and steam cleared. Grander caught his breath as he recognized the figure of one he had only seen in history books.  
  
The boy was clearly visible now. Grander tried not to blink, afraid it might not actually be real.  
  
The boy, who looked no older than 16, opened his mouth. "Can someone please explain to me what is going on?" 


	3. Death by Red Eyes

A/N: Okay, I just want to say that this was originally the second chapter (the first after the prologue) but I decided to get right to the point. This is the part where Voldemort learns of Harry's grave and decides to destroy it. He also makes a comment that I don't know if anyone will recognize, but it will come back later and explain a few things. Anyway...yeah, so that it really. Read on!  
  
Chapter 2: Death by Red Eyes  
  
"So this is what the world has come to?" Voldemort said, looking around at the advanced London. "Pitiful."  
  
"What's pitiful?" asked a woman standing next to him.  
  
"These foolish people's reliance on technology," Voldemort said. "They do not know what it is like to cast a powerful spell." His thin lips curled into an unpleasant smile. "Soon they will know what it is like to be on the receiving end of one."  
  
"Excellent," the woman said. "They have a weakness."  
  
"They have many," Voldemort said, his lipless mouth curling into an unpleasant smile. "They have lost touch with the magic. They do not-cannot- have Potter on their side."  
  
"They know of him," the woman said. "They know how he beat you."  
  
"His wand?" Voldemort shot.  
  
"It is buried with him."  
  
"Good," Voldemort said. "It will have decomposed by now. He cannot use that against me."  
  
"Your wand?"  
  
"It is connected to me. I will always have it."  
  
"I want him destroyed," Voldemort said suddenly. "I want his body to burn. You-" He shot the word at another Death Eater. "You will destroy Potter's body."  
  
"But it's in the middle of the Hogwart's grounds!" He protested. "It is too close to the enemy!"  
  
Angry, Voldemort whipped out his wand, pointed it at the man, and said, "Crucio!"  
  
The man screamed and writhed on the ground until Voldemort removed his wand. "You will go."  
  
"Yes, master."  
  
"Come."  
  
The man could not even manage to stand. He crawled to Voldemort on all fours.  
  
"Stand."  
  
The man somehow managed to get to his feet. He shook visible, though from pain or fear, he could not tell.  
  
Voldemort placed a hand on the man's shoulder and closed his eyes. His hand glowed and the man stopped shaking. He stood up straighter and looked at Voldemort, wide eyed.  
  
Voldemort removed his hand. "I have given you power and I have told you the spell. Now you will destroy it. Go. You are wasting my time."  
  
The man Disapparated.  
  
Voldemort and the woman stood and looked at the city of Muggles in silence for a moment.  
  
"I want to kill them," Voldemort said. "Get a group. We attack London tonight."  
  
"Kill them?" the woman asked, startled. "You mean all of them?"  
  
"No," Voldemort said. The woman looked relieved. "Some will escape. Perhaps we can keep that number to a minimum."  
  
"What do you mean?" the woman asked. "Kill the entire city?!? Are you crazy?"  
  
"No," Voldemort turned to her. "You are weak. Do not displease me. If that might happen, you too will die."  
  
"But we brought you back!"  
  
"And perhaps I can repay the kindness by stomping any trace of this ridiculous care of Muggles out of you!"  
  
"I do not care for Muggles!" the woman said stubbornly.  
  
"Ah, but you do. I see it in your eyes. We'll have to change that."  
  
* * *  
  
The Minister of Magic sat down at his usual meeting in high spirits. Things were very productive this month and he was looking forward to a good report. All the wizards in the room were talking happily and noisily and the Minister was almost loath to start the meeting. The atmosphere in the room was of happy occasions and full of life. Sighing, he rang the bell that started the meeting.  
  
"Your attention please," he said. "I call this meeting to order. We'll begin with roll call."  
  
Everyone was here except one person.  
  
"Does anyone know where Mrs. Whestly is?" Minister Cocker asked, looking around the room. "She's usually the first one here."  
  
No one said anything. They just looked around, puzzled.  
  
"I saw her once today," a woman piped up. "She said she was going to check out a break in at the Hangleton grave yard. She should be back by now though."  
  
"I suppose we'll have to start the meeting without her," Cocker said, shrugging. "Now, the first order of business. The genetically engineered-"  
  
The door burst open.  
  
Mrs. Whestly came in. She looked like she had been in a fight. She had a scratch above her eye and she was limping on one leg.  
  
Cocker stood up.  
  
"Minister," Whestly said weakly. "I'm afraid we have a slight apocalypse on our hands."  
  
* * *  
  
"And then I saw him," Whestly said, her lip tremble. "It was awful! He had red eyes and this horrible skeletal look about him. I don't know what he was! Vampires don't have red eyes! But he didn't look like he wanted blood. It looked like he just wanted it to spill-all over the ground." Whestly shook. She took a deep breath and continued. "London is gone. If there is anyone who escaped, they won't be alive much longer." A single tear fell down her cheek. "I've never seen anything like it. There were bodies everywhere. There were people using the Unforgivable Curses and everything. They were killing like it was some sort of party! And there was a symbol." She took a piece of paper and a pencil and drew the best she could of the horrible symbol that had floated over the town.  
  
Cocker looked at the paper. "A snake coming out of a skull? I've never seen anything like this! Who did you say it was?"  
  
Whestly shook her head. "I don't know. It was that awful man-the one with the red eyes. It wasn't like anything I've ever seen before."  
  
"This is bad," said a man sitting next to Whestly. They all looked at him.  
  
"So I stated the obvious! I bet you were all thinking it!"  
  
Whestly shook her head, but not at the last remark. "Can anyone do a memory charm? I don't want to have to remember that all my life."  
  
"You know you can't use a memory charm for something like that," Cocker said, shaking his head.  
  
"We should call a historian. It looks vaguely familiar-"  
  
"No!" said another woman suddenly. "Am I the only one who comprehends that London is no more? What if there are survivors? We have to get out there!"  
  
Cocker only thought for a split second. "Right. We need to get a committee down there. I'll go one down there right now. Bring the equipment. I've got to see what happened."  
  
"Be careful," Whestly told him.  
  
He nodded and pulled out his wand. He disappeared with a small pop.  
  
Cocker appeared seconds later at the sight of the previous city. There was no more London. There were ashes everywhere and any building that was standing was burning to the ground. He stood in shocked silence for what seemed like forever. London really was gone.  
  
His wand dropped to the ground beside him. As soon as it hit the ash covered ground he felt the tip of a wand against his neck.  
  
"You son of a bitch," said a voice full of hatred. "You shouldn't have come back here."  
  
Cocker held up his hands. "I am not the one who did this. I'm Jim Cocker, Minister of Magic. I just heard of this and have only now come to help. Please, let me help.  
  
He felt the wand shudder. Suddenly, there was a chocking noise and the pressure of the wand disappeared. He spun around. It was a woman. She was covered in ashes except for a trickle down her face where she had been crying. She fell to her knees. Crocker bent down to comfort her.  
  
"Don't worry. We'll figure out who did this and stop him."  
  
The woman pulled away. "I know who did it."  
  
"You do?"  
  
The woman nodded. "They're centuries old. It's this stupid cult. They worship evil itself. I never took them seriously. They must have summoned some kind of demon. I saw him! It was so horrible!"  
  
"You saw him? What kind of demon was he?" Crocker asked, searching his head for types of demons that fit the description Whestly had given.  
  
The woman shook her head. "He wasn't a demon. He used a wand. He was human."  
  
"You mean he had a soul?"  
  
"A shriveled and disused one, but he must have had one. He looked human until you saw his face." The woman broke down. Cocker patted her awkwardly on the shoulder before standing up and looking around. There was nothing. The fire had consumed everything. He watched as the last structure crumbled and fell to the ground. People Apparated behind him.  
  
They stood in awe at the destruction before them.  
  
"Check for survivors!" Cocker yelled, snapping them out of their horror. Four men Disapparated to place barriers at each corner of the ruined city. Seconds later they were back. The fifth man flipped open his miniature TV screen and pressed a button. It showed the entire city. Any red dots would indicate a survivor. There were 7 little red dots where they were standing, but there was nothing else.  
  
"Are you sure it's working?" one asked.  
  
"Are you kidding? This thing never fails!"  
  
"But there are no red dots."  
  
"No, there aren't," Cocker said quietly. "Because there are no survivors."  
  
A/N: Okay, you all hate me for the lack of Harry. I thought I would be extremely kind, however, and go ahead and put the next chapter out. Please review this chapter first! Oh, and review the next chapter as well. After you read it. 


	4. Dead but Not Forgotten

A/N: Okay, much rejoicing. Next chapter. Very much Harry Potter in here. I had to have the last chapter in here because it's what the Ministry of Magic is doing in the face of everything and that's always significant. Boy, I'm sure you're fascinated. Okay, keep reading.  
  
Chapter 3: Dead but Not Forgotten  
  
Harry fingered his wand. He was sitting in the Headmaster's seat in the Great Hall. It was by far the most comfortable chair and if he was being forced to come back to life, he might as well get to sit in the nice chair. The Headmistress had pursed her lips when she saw him in it, but she hadn't said anything. They didn't believe he was who he said to be and that was fine with Harry. He didn't want to be here anyway.  
  
He shook his head. He couldn't believe this. He was 16 again! He was going to have to wait all over again to get the respect he had gotten when he was an adult.  
  
Harry was perfectly still, listening to what the professors were saying about him in the other room.  
  
"-I don't believe him!"  
  
"He is Harry Potter! His grave was in the graveyard and some guy in a black robe was digging it up! He said he was going to destroy the body because his master had told him so! Then he called down the lightning that should have disintegrated the body!"  
  
Harry felt a sharp knot form in his stomach. Someone's 'master' had ordered him to destroy his body? He stood up suddenly, but then sat back down again. Voldemort couldn't be here. As far as Harry knew, it was centuries into the future! His grave had looked old, but it wasn't ancient. He sighed.  
  
Just then, the door to the great Hall opened. A girl around the age of 15 or 16 walked in.  
  
"Er.hello," she said. "You're not supposed to sit in the Headmistress's seat. She'll be really mad at you."  
  
"Thanks for the warning," Harry said. "But she's already seen me."  
  
"Wow! You must be a pet or something! Are you new? What house are you in?"  
  
"First, I'm not a pet. No, I'm not new. You can be completely sure about that. And I'm in Gryffindor."  
  
"Oh," the girl said. "I'm in Potter."  
  
Harry blinked. "Potter?"  
  
"Yeah," the girl said. "Why do you look so surprised? You said you weren't new."  
  
"I'm older than I look," Harry said. "I've already graduated. I guess it wasn't here when I came."  
  
The girl laughed but stopped when she saw the look on Harry's face. "What are you talking about? The Potter house has been around for almost a millennium!"  
  
Harry mouthed, speechless. "A-A millennium?"  
  
"Yeah, they named it for Harry Potter right after he died. Why do you look so surprised?"  
  
Just then, the professors came out. "What is she doing here?" one of them asked, looking pointedly at the girl.  
  
Harry shrugged. "She just came in here."  
  
The girl went red. "I was.er.taking a shortcut."  
  
"You're not to be in the Great Hall unless it's meal time!"  
  
"He's in here!"  
  
"He's new!"  
  
"He said he'd already graduated!"  
  
The professor looked sternly at him. "What did you tell her?"  
  
"I told her the truth," Harry said. He couldn't help grinning at the professor's reaction. "I told her that I already graduated and I was in Gryffindor."  
  
"Well.go along," the professor shooed the girl out of the Great Hall.  
  
"Please get out of my chair," the Headmistress said sternly.  
  
"Hey, as far as I'm concerned, this chair has always belonged to Dumbledore."  
  
"Who's Dumbledore?" The Headmistress asked blankly.  
  
Harry looked at her as though he thought she might be joking. "He'll tell you," he pointed to the professor who obviously taught history.  
  
The man shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't know who you're talking about."  
  
"What?" Harry stood up. "You mean you know about me, but you don't know about Dumbledore?!?"  
  
The man shook his head.  
  
"But Dumbledore's a legend!" Harry practically shouted.  
  
"Obviously not," the man said.  
  
"What has this world come to?" Harry practically shouted.  
  
"To answer that young man's question," said a voice in the doorway. "It has almost come to the brink of destruction."  
  
Everyone turned to look at the new arrival.  
  
"Mr. Cocker!" said the Headmistress. "What brings you down here?"  
  
"To tell you what has transpired," the man said. He walked to the staff table and set the papers he had been carrying down on the table. Harry glanced casually at the papers and froze, not hearing the man's next words.  
  
"London has been attacked. There was one survivor. We got there-"  
  
Harry grabbed the piece of paper he had been looking at and stuffed it into the man's face. "What is this?"  
  
"Harry!" said the headmistress sharply. "You need to show respect! This is the Minister of Magic!"  
  
"Yeah? I haven't had good luck with them," Harry said. "And don't talk to me like that! I'm older than you are! Now, what is this?"  
  
"What is this kid on about?" the Minister asked.  
  
"I'm not a kid!" Harry said, his eyes flashing. "And I'm tired of being treated like one. Now answer the question!"  
  
The Minister looked outraged by the disrespect he was getting. "Now listen here, young man! You-"  
  
"Your world may stand on the very edge of total destruction," Harry said, rising to his full (and slightly shorter than he remembered) height. "The Ministry will go to pieces and you will no longer run your own life, let alone the Ministry. There will no longer be a Muggle in the entire world and the only way you could possibly survive is to do the will of the man who has ruined your life. Are you going to listen to me or not?"  
  
The Minister looked slightly taken aback. Harry could be intimidating if he wanted to.  
  
"Ask," the Minister said simply.  
  
"Where did you get this picture?"  
  
"A witness saw it over the ruined city of London."  
  
Harry dropped the piece of paper and took a step backward. "You're joking right?"  
  
"No!" the Minister said. "But by the look on your face, I sincerely wish I was."  
  
"Then it must be a copycat," Harry said, trying to assure himself. "Because it couldn't possibly be the one the sign was originally associated with."  
  
"When the legends became myth come to the real, The fate of the world might then be sealed. The serpent-tongued will destroy the wrong And the good will rise, ready and strong. The lightning who burned will certainly fall And the challenger will rule all."  
  
Everyone looked at the history professor. He blinked back to the reality.  
  
"It's the prophecy. The ancient prophecy that said it would come to pass when it was too late to stop it."  
  
Harry looked at Grander. He unconsciously put his hand to the old scar that had been burning for the first time since he had defeated Voldemort a millennium ago. He had attributed the burning to the fire he had been in.  
  
"I have never heard of this prophecy," the Minister said.  
  
"It's hundreds of years old and I only came across it a little while ago when I was looking through an old book I saw in the library I thought it looked interesting. I found it on a slip of paper in the back."  
  
"'The legends became myth come to the real'? What does that mean?" Cocker asked.  
  
"Voldemort," Harry said. "Voldemort's back."  
  
"Voldemort?" Crocker asked. "I don't know who you are kid, but Voldemort died a millennium ago!"  
  
"So did I," Harry said quietly.  
  
"What?"  
  
Harry took a deep breath. "I died one thousand years ago. When the cemetery outside burned, I woke up to find myself 16 and in a hole in the ground with the ashes of my coffin all around me."  
  
"Y-You're Harry Potter?" The Minister gasped.  
  
"We're not sure yet," the Headmistress cut in.  
  
"I am," Grander said firmly. "I've read his tales more times than any of you know. I know him better than he knows himself!"  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure," Harry said, a slight grin on his face. "There are a few things the history books left out."  
  
"You might be surprised," Grander said confidently.  
  
"In any case, we have a problem. If Voldemort really is back, this prophecy doesn't look like the future is very bright."  
  
"I still don't fully comprehend this," Crocker said. "You're the Harry Potter?"  
  
"Yes," Harry said patiently. "I don't know how it happened, but I'm here. And I still don't know why I'm helping you! I've already beaten him once! Surely you're much more advanced in magic than in my time!"  
  
The professors in the room exchanged guilty glances.  
  
"Surely there's some arch warlock somewhere that can beat him much easier than I could!"  
  
"Actually," Grander said. "We're kind of in the mindset of 'technology is the future. Magic is holding us back'."  
  
Harry shook his head. "Hermione was afraid this would happen."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"One of my two best friends at Hogwarts," Harry said. "The other was Ron Weasley."  
  
"Oh!" Grander said, "Was he in relation to Arthur Weasley?"  
  
"Yeah," Harry said. "Ron was his son. Let me get this straight. You don't know about Dumbledore, but you know about Mr. Weasley?"  
  
"Well, he's mentioned in one of your legends. I only know his name."  
  
"He was the second Minister of magic during Voldemort's rein after Fudge."  
  
"As fascinating as this undoubtedly is," Cocker said. "It in no way solves our current Voldemort problem."  
  
"Or future if you look at it from my point of view," Harry said. He blinked. "Sorry. I don't know where my mind goes nowadays. Okay, to the point. Voldemort knows your weaknesses. He's going to use that to his advantage."  
  
"What are our weaknesses?" Cocker said.  
  
"Okay, let's start there."  
  
A/N: Lack of Voldemort. Right, well, something interesting will happen soon seeing as how nothing much of interest happened in this chapter. Anyway, we learned a few things like the prophecy. Again, fasinating (sarcastic voice). Review! 


	5. The Good, the Bad, and the Technically A...

A/N: Okay, next chapter. I know it says chapter 5 on the thingy, but I didn't count chapter 1 as a chapter because it's the prolouge. Anyway, read on.  
  
Chapter 4: The good, the bad, and the technically advanced  
  
"Who is he?"  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"Why doesn't he come to classes?"  
  
"I heard he'd graduated."  
  
"Is he a new professor?"  
  
"He looks too young."  
  
Whispers followed him wherever he went nowadays. They had in the past too, but then they were reverent. Now they were.different.  
  
He didn't like going through the full corridors. He got too many looks. He was forced to eat with everyone else in the Great Hall. Fortunately, he got to eat at the staff table with the teachers. He was known around the school as 'the new professor' even though he didn't actually teach. No one knew his real name, Harry made sure of it. Besides, who would believe him if he told them?  
  
"I don't know what is going on," Harry heard some of them say in scared whispers. "I heard there's some kind of mass murderer in the streets who goes around killing people.for fun!"  
  
Harry would shake his head. He knew the world wasn't prepared for what was coming. He'd tried to tell rest of the professors his ideas, but they dismissed him as a frightened student. It was awful being 16 again. People nowadays had no respect for their elders.  
  
"Mr. Potter!" Professor Grander came racing around the corner. He was the only one in the school who thought of him as the legend and not as the 16- year-old standing before them.  
  
Harry turned, glancing uneasily around the, thankfully, empty hall. It wouldn't be good have any students knowing his name.  
  
"There's no one here," Grander said. "All the students are in class. This is my off period. But I was wondering if you could perhaps stand in for my next class."  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows. "And what are the students to call me, Professor Harry Potter?"  
  
Grander shook his head. "I know this isn't a very convenient time, but I have to send a message to the ministry. I think I know where Voldemort will strike next. I dare not send it by owl in case it's intercepted."  
  
Harry nodded. "I'll do it. There really isn't anything better to do."  
  
Grander nodded thankfully. "Thank you!" He dashed off down the hall in a great hurry.  
  
Harry headed toward the History of Magic classroom. He'd quickly found out about every recent edition in every corner of Hogwarts. There were quite a few, but some things never change, Hogwarts among them.  
  
He walked into the classroom and sat down at the desk. The previous hour wasn't over yet so the classroom was still empty. He picked up a text book and flipped it open. After a brief glance, he closed it. He had a thousand year of history to catch up on! How was he supposed to get through this class?  
  
He grit his teeth and opened the book again. He was going to have to know this stuff. After all, he didn't have a clue what he was supposed to be teaching.  
  
He was only through the first lesson when he heard the bell ring. He quickly closed the book and set it aside. He rummaged around in the desk to see if there was a roll sheet or something to tell him who he was teaching.  
  
People started coming in, throwing him questioning looks. Harry tried to look professional, but the truth was, he had never gone into teaching because he.well.couldn't teach. Now he had to teach the most boring class of all and try to make it interesting.  
  
The bell rang again. Class was supposed to start.  
  
Harry grabbed the roll sheet and looked around. Either this class was always silent, or they really wanted to know who he was. Either way, he had their undivided attention. He cleared his throat, unsure where to begin.  
  
"Er.Professor Grander had to send a message to the Ministry of Magic and he asked me to fill in for him. Now, he doesn't seem to have left a sheet or anything explaining what you were going over-yes?"  
  
A girl had raised her hand. "Professor, you could always check the computer over there. That usually has everything in it."  
  
Harry looked over his shoulder. There was the computer. He wasn't quite sure how to use it. There seemed to be a lot more keys than he remembered.  
  
"Er.that's okay," Harry said. "Er.I'll just ask you."  
  
The class looked at each other, surprised. Harry knew he must look stupid.  
  
"We were going over the goblin rebellion of 2030."  
  
Harry sighed in relief. This was something he knew all about. After all, he'd lived through it. "Ah, okay. Now how much have you covered?"  
  
"We've only read the chapter. Professor Grander said he'd cover it today. That's about all we know."  
  
"Even better," Harry said. "Now, I'm going to assume you've had some of this before?" He looked around questioningly.  
  
"The rebellions kind of blur together once you've heard about them all. They're really not that interesting," one boy said. Harry could already tell that this was one of the troublemakers.  
  
"Then you've never covered this rebellion before," Harry said. "Because there was a major difference in this rebellion than in the ones before it. Can anyone tell me what that was?"  
  
No one spoke up.  
  
"Okay, can someone tell me what happened a few years before that?"  
  
A girl tentatively raised her hand.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"The defeat of Voldemort?"  
  
"Exactly," Harry said, pleased that he wasn't going to have to go over all this. "This caused the entire wizarding world to be completely unprepared for what was coming. The Ministry-"  
  
"Can we just see the video and be done with it?" that same obnoxious boy asked.  
  
Harry was confused again. "Er.video?"  
  
"Yeah," the boy said. "The video. You know, the ones in the 3D imaging device? When were you born, 2740?"  
  
"Not exactly," Harry said. "But I am a little rusty."  
  
"Why? Have you been living under a rock?"  
  
Harry pushed back the anger he felt at these words. He had always been treated with respect! He deserved their respect! He had worked hard to earn it and it was suddenly disappearing before his eyes. Well, he would just have to get it back.  
  
He forced himself to ignore the comment. "I'm not going to show some video on some 3D device because it sounds to me like it's really not helping you learn anything. Therefore, this is going to be a practical lesson."  
  
The kids looked at each other.  
  
"You mean.use magic?" a girl asked. "How much?"  
  
"How much do you know?"  
  
"Not that much," the obnoxious boy said. The girl glared at him.  
  
Harry looked directly at the boy, his bright green eyes piercing into his, making him look away. "What's your name?"  
  
"Ryan," the boy said.  
  
"Okay, Ryan," Harry said. "How about you come up to the front and you can be my first victim."  
  
Ryan slowly got out of his seat. Harry could tell immediately that he knew no more magic than a first year. This was not a good sign.  
  
Ryan got to the front of the classroom, his smirk firmly in place, ready to poke as much fun at this 'young' professor as he possibly could. Harry smiled a little.  
  
"Okay, Ryan. I'm going to ask you some questions over the goblin rebellion. If you answer them correctly, no harm is done. If you answer them incorrectly, that's one more page of homework I'm going to assign you to do."  
  
The class groaned.  
  
"What's wrong?" Harry asked them, grinning. "You're not getting his homework."  
  
Harry left the class to wondering, if they didn't already understand, and turned to look at Ryan. "What year did the rebellion begin?"  
  
Ryan thought for a moment. "2030?"  
  
"What year did it end?"  
  
"Er.2031?"  
  
"Wrong. One page. Who was the main goblin leader?"  
  
"Griphook?"  
  
"Wrong. 2 pages. Who was Griphook?"  
  
Harry fired 10 questions before letting Ryan sit down with 9 pages of homework. Then he called the next person up. He continued this until he had finished everyone in the class. They then had 5 minutes of free time before the bell rang.  
  
Some of them were looking unhappily at him when they left while others were skipping out, having no homework at all. Harry figured he might actually be good at this teaching thing.  
  
The last few people were just milling out when Grander came in. "Hello! How did class go?"  
  
"Fine," Harry said. "I assigned homework."  
  
"Good," Grander said. "Er.did you find my lesson plans?"  
  
"Lesson plans?" Harry asked blankly.  
  
"They were on the computer."  
  
"Ah," Harry said. "No. I didn't want to attempt to turn it on."  
  
"Then what did you do all hour?" Grander asked. "Did you at least find the videos?"  
  
Harry sighed. "Professor Grander, I didn't find a single thing. I spent the entire class quizzing them on what they were supposed to read. Did you know that over half the class didn't do their reading assignment? They all have a lot of homework right now."  
  
"You assigned homework to all those who didn't do the reading assignment?"  
  
Harry sighed and explained what he'd done. "I didn't particularly like that Ryan kid."  
  
"You get used to him," Grander said. "Detentions don't really help. He doesn't really care. The problem is, he's influencing those children around him that do care. Why is it the troublemakers are always the popular ones?"  
  
Harry decided to change the subject. "Well, he's got 9 pages of homework to turn in next class. He was actually pretty well behaved after I made him look like an idiot."  
  
"Maybe he'll do the homework next time," Grander said, trying to hide a smile.  
  
A strange sounding bell rang from somewhere. Grander started, a grin on his face. Outside the room, people were quickly setting their stuff down and pulling things out of their bags.  
  
Grander hurried to a cabinet and pulled out two pairs of glasses. He threw one to Harry. "Hurry! Put these on!"  
  
Confused, Harry put on the glasses. He was immediately in the stands of what looked like a Quidditch field. There were people popping into place all around him. A few people were suddenly appearing on the ground below. Harry looked around in confusion. What was this? He quickly took the glasses off.  
  
He was back in the classroom.  
  
"Put them on!" Grander said. "They're kicking off!"  
  
Harry hesitated but put the glasses back on. Sure enough, he was back in the stands. The players were in the air. Four balls appeared in the sky. One of them, a tiny golden one, darted off. Each team tried to grab the soccer ball sized red one while the other two balls aimed for the players. This was Quidditch! Harry opened his mouth in shock. What happened to the field? What happened to the brooms? What happen to Quidditch?  
  
He could keep his mind on the game. He kept noticing things, like how each of the brooms went the same speed and how the Bludgers flew in front of the player's faces instead of hitting them.  
  
The game ended with the Gryffindors victorious over the Hufflepuffs. Harry pulled off his glasses, unable to watch anymore.  
  
"Put them back on!" Grander said. "They're doing a lap of honor!"  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry snapped. "They're not really there! The Bludgers don't hit people and there's a serious lack of actually being there! At least tell me the actual players are on the brooms!"  
  
Grander looked for a moment like he thought Harry was joking. He took off his 3D glasses and looked at him. "Just how long has it been since you've been to a Quid game?"  
  
"Quidditch!" Harry yelled. "That's not Quidditch! That's some stupid form of it you've created to make the game more technologically advanced! My God, don't you realize that technology is killing you?"  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Grander asked, surprised at the outburst.  
  
"I mean, Voldemort is out there! He's killing you off one by one and this stupid form of a game is proof that you're not ready! You're sitting here when you should be out there! Please tell me you understand this!"  
  
"I don't," Grander said. "What's wrong with Quid?"  
  
"Quid?" Harry felt anger well up inside him. "It's Quidditch! Nothing's wrong with Quidditch! Something's wrong with this!" He held up the glasses. "This technology and this stupid thing you call life! Don't you realize that Voldemort's going to kill you all off? He's not going to have any mercy! He's not going to cower before a virtual reality world! You're underestimating him and you're all going to die because of it! You can't stop Voldemort through technology! You have to stop him through magic! Because your stupid computers can only take you so far!"  
  
Harry hardly noticed he was making a scene. The students had taken off their 3D glasses and were crowded around the room, trying to see who was yelling.  
  
Harry glared for a second before grabbing his wand and Apparating. He had long learned that almost all of the defensive shields around the castle were down. Otherwise, those computers wouldn't work. Apparating wasn't going to be a problem.  
  
A/N: Okay, I just want to say that I have written most of this story already (though I am in no way done). I was asked, however, if I was going to bring Ron and Hermione back. I honestly haven't thought about it. I mean, I haven't intended to, but if you think it's a good idea, I'll try to find a way to bring them in though maybe just a ghost or portrait or something of the sort. Only if you think it's a good idea. Review! 


	6. Hogsmeade

A/N: Okay, much rejoicing! I updated 3003. Everyone likes updates. I'm going to be slower on this one than BtBT because I've actually finished writing my other story and I'm just using it to buy me time in writing this one. I know, no one's happy. Except me...but never mind that. Go ahead and read!!!  
  
Chapter 5: Hogsmeade  
  
Harry lay awake that night, wondering as he did every night why he had come back. This world obviously needed his help, but by the looks of his coffin, his body should have burned.  
  
Finally realizing he wasn't going to get any sleep that night, Harry got up. He had a room all to himself so he switched on the lights and grabbed his robes.  
  
5 minutes later he was walking along the deserted corridors. He wasn't really paying attention to where he was going and soon found himself to the one place his footsteps had always taken him when he was in need-the statue of the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's old office. He smiled sadly, remembering Dumbledore's ludicrous passwords. He had never gone back up there when Dumbledore died. It didn't seem right somehow. He didn't even try to guess at the password. He stayed there for a little while, letting the peace Dumbledore's memory always gave him wash over him until he felt ready to go back to bed.  
  
The second Harry got up and walked away from the statue, the peace it gave him flickered. He cast another look at the statue before forcing himself to go back to bed. He couldn't live in the past-not when the future was in such great danger. He headed back to bed, his mind a jumbled mess once again.  
  
* * *  
  
"I think you're missing the point," Harry said, keeping his temper in check. It was amazing how hard it was to do so when he was 16 again.  
  
"Then please explain the point, Mr. Potter, because I think the only one in this room who understands it is you," Cocker said. Harry could tell that he felt stupid, showing respect to a 16-year-old, but there was nothing Harry could do about it.  
  
Harry opened his mouth to answer the question, but it was Grander who spoke up first.  
  
"I see the point."  
  
Everyone looked at him, but he didn't look back. He was staring off into space.  
  
"And the point is."Cocker persisted.  
  
Grander snapped back to the present. "We're loosing."  
  
"Loosing?" Cocker asked in disbelief. "I can tell that much!"  
  
"I don't think you do," Grander said, suddenly very serious. "We're not only loosing our world, but we're loosing ourselves!"  
  
"And how is it that Voldemort can do that?"  
  
"Voldemort isn't doing anything," Grander said softly. "He attacked London, reducing it to nothing, but he hasn't done anything else. He gave us the signal and we're following it, running straight into our own doom."  
  
"As poetic as that is," Cocker said. "I still don't see-"  
  
"Of course you don't see," Harry said, looking at Grander. "That's because you're running blindly. We're covering our own eyes and fooling them into believing we're doing the right thing. But it's about as fake as that stupid excuse for a Quidditch game! And it doesn't matter if one or two of us take off that 3D machine and see where we're headed, because unless we can open the rest of the world's eyes. We're all alone. We can stop, but the rest of the world will keep running until you die. Then we'll be the only ones left to keep Voldemort back, and we're not enough."  
  
Their words seemed to have finally sunk in. "Then how do we make the rest of the world see?"  
  
"By using the one thing you're trying to stamp out of society," Harry said. "Magic."  
  
"But, Mr. Potter," Cocker said. "Magic is holding us back-"  
  
"Technology is the future," Harry cut in. "In case you haven't noticed, the future isn't the problem. It's the past. That little piece of the past that you locked up and buried was buried alive, and now it's back for revenge. And what better way to ease the revengeful mind than to make them hurt in the worst way possible? He's making you destroy yourself!"  
  
"Evil turns in upon itself, Minister," Grander said. "What does that say about us?"  
  
Cocker didn't say anything.  
  
"There's not going to be a Ministry if Voldemort wins," Harry said. "There's not going to be much of anything."  
  
"Why do you keep reminding me of that?" Cocker asked. "Every time we talk it's 'there won't be a Ministry' and 'you won't rule the wizarding world'! Do you honestly believe I care so much about my job that I have completely forgotten the rest of the world?"  
  
Harry didn't answer immediately. Finally he said, "It takes a different kind of person to want to be Minister. Ambition is the key ingredient. Perhaps you're different, but that won't be easily proven. It has yet to be so far."  
  
"What are you implying?"  
  
"I'm not trying to make enemies here!" Harry said. "I'm trying to save the world, again! I know about this. I know everything that Voldemort is capable of and I know how to kill him. I don't want this to happen to me! I don't want to be here! I've spent my entire life trying to piece the wizarding world back together so it will be safe for future generations! I see I succeeded. I see now that you are so safe, so comfortable, so fat that you can't even stand up for yourself when everything you've known starts to crumble to the ground! Is that all the pride you can muster for the world you live in today? Is that all you've got? Well, it isn't enough."  
  
Harry had half a mind to get up and walk out, but he tried to master himself even while he realized he had lost his temper and gotten him into trouble. Why was it so easy to loose his temper? He'd dealt with much more irritating men than Cocker and he still couldn't seem to hold his tongue.  
  
Cocker looked a little short of outraged. "If you're going to criticize everything we've worked for, for so long-"  
  
"You haven't worked," Harry said quietly. "You've sat at your desk and watched the money roll in. You haven't had any need to work and you therefore have yet to understand what true, life devoting work is. I know. I spent my entire life working for a better world. Then I died. Now I have to spend my other life working for another one! That's working a long time. That's the only time when you can decide to quit."  
  
Harry's last sentence made the room go quiet.  
  
"You-you're quitting?" Cocker asked. "You can't be serious! I mean, we need you!"  
  
Harry kicked himself mentally for saying that. Then he realized that it could work to his advantage. He got up and walked out of the room leaving everyone speechless. He was halfway down the hall when he heard footsteps running behind him. He didn't even turn around.  
  
"What do you mean, you're quitting?" asked Grander's voice.  
  
"I mean what I said," Harry said, knowing people were still listening from in the room. He winked at him and the man visibly relaxed. Harry started off down the hall with Grander at him heels. When he was sure he was out of earshot, he turned to Grander.  
  
"What are you doing?" Grander hissed.  
  
"I'm letting them sweat," Harry said. "Make them see how serious the situation is. It wasn't their choice I came back. Now they're going to have a chance to see what it would have been like."  
  
"You mean you're actually not helping?"  
  
"I will be," Harry said. "Grander, do you remember the Order of the Phoenix?"  
  
"Yes," Grander nodded slowly. "You're starting it back up again?"  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "There are not enough people in the world that I can get to join to do that, but we did everything behind the Ministry's back. They didn't have a clue how so many Death Eater attacks were being stopped! It was easy enough. The Ministry was in chaos-a little more than it is now. They weren't doing anything to stop Voldemort and he was winning. That's the same thing that was going on then as is going on now."  
  
"History repeats itself," Grander said.  
  
"Exactly," Harry said. "It always repeats itself. And where did Voldemort attack first?"  
  
"London," Grander said, cottoning on. "Hogsmeade's next."  
  
* * *  
  
Voldemort and his steadily growing population of Death Eaters surveyed the changed town. This was almost too easy.  
  
"Do nothing until I give the order," Voldemort commanded.  
  
"But they'll see us!"  
  
"They'll send the Ministry!"  
  
Voldemort felt a rise of anger. They would soon learn never to talk back to him. Nobody back talked Voldemort.  
  
He turned around slowly and deliberately. "Who dares to question my reasoning?"  
  
They shrank back. Voldemort turned back around. He had scared them sufficiently for now. They would pay later when he was in the right mood.  
  
He looked down at the not-so-small town. People were running through the streets, casting frightened glances up at them. He smirked.just like old times.  
  
He waited there for precisely 30 minutes. This gave the town the proper amount of time to call in the Ministry and other officials that would put up a pathetic fight. Voldemort was almost disappointed. Finally he gave the order to attack.  
  
The swarmed around the town before actually entering, cutting off any means of escape. Voldemort smirked in satisfaction. The people had hidden in their homes. His smile didn't falter, but widened slightly when he felt the presence of spells. Good. They were putting up a fight.  
  
The raised his hand and lowered it. The Death Eaters swarmed the village. He walked casually toward the city behind his excited Death Eaters. One of them came running up to him.  
  
"I can't find anyone!"  
  
"What?" Voldemort whirled on the man.  
  
The man shrunk under his gaze, but continued on in a slightly weaker voice. "We can't find anyone in the houses! It looks like the town has been deserted!"  
  
"Nonsense," Voldemort said, his calm returned. "I would have known if they had left. I could have sensed it. They're simply hiding and none of you have any idea how to find them."  
  
The man seemed about to argue before thinking better of it. "Yes, master."  
  
But there was no one there. There were no Death Eaters torturing people in the streets. There were no excited yells. There were no screams of panic- wait, there was one.  
  
Voldemort looked toward the yell in satisfaction, but nothing that could have prepared him for what he saw. It wasn't the pathetic innocents that were screaming. It was his own Death Eaters! They were running, screaming out of an alley as if hell itself were at their heals. A huge burst of energy blew apart the ground under their feet. They fell, defeated. A line of fire came out of the alley, burning up the curious Death Eaters who were brave enough to look into the alley. The fire seemed only to engulf human flesh because the buildings on both sides went unharmed even though the fire seemed on top of them.  
  
But it did not burn one figure. A figure walked straight through the fire, from the alley. Lord Voldemort felt excitement. This was someone who was worth killing! Through the red flame the figures face became visible and Voldemort's excitement turned to dread.  
  
"Surprised to see me?" asked the figure.  
  
"Not as much as you might think."  
  
"Who dares talk to you like that, master?" Asked an angry Death Eater.  
  
The figure didn't even glance at the woman. "Trust me, we go way back."  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort said, flicking his wand at the offending Death Eater.  
  
With a scream, she fell to the ground, dead.  
  
"You shouldn't have come back," the figure said, looking at Voldemort with piercing emerald green eyes.  
  
"Nor should you," Voldemort said, displaying complete confidence.  
  
"Ah, but there you are wrong," Harry Potter said with a small smile. "The balance must be maintained."  
  
"Always," Voldemort said. "Except now you're fighting a loosing battle."  
  
"I've already won once," Harry said. "I can defeat you again. Especially since I've had an entire lifetime to beef up my power while yours remains the same."  
  
"Like you remain the same," Voldemort said, looking at the 16-year-old boy in front of him.  
  
"Go home, Voldemort," Harry said avoiding the topic. "You're not wanted here."  
  
"I go where I please," Voldemort said.  
  
"You shouldn't," Harry said. "You're weak. I can feel your pathetic attempt at true power from all the way over here."  
  
"It truly isn't pathetic. I could demonstrate it if you wish."  
  
"Your power pales in comparison to mine," Harry said. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."  
  
"I cannot feel your power," Voldemort hissed. "It has not strengthened!"  
  
"I only let you feel what power I choose to let you comprehend."  
  
"Indeed?"  
  
"Indeed yes," Harry said. "Go now, Voldemort. I don't want to talk to you anymore." Harry waved his wand. With a flick, Voldemort vanished before him with a scream of rage.  
  
A/N: I'm unsure about the ending to this one like I always am when I bring Harry up against Voldemort. Still, I already wrote it and at this rate, I'm never going to get my story finished. I only have 9 chapters thus far!!! Still, I'd rather post them slowly instead of posting them all at once so I can get more reviews. Speaking of reviews... 


	7. And the Dark Lord will Mark him as his E...

Gilthas: I just want to point out that I am a wonderful muse for making Me post the next chapter for this story.  
  
Me: Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're all pleased. I know it's been a while, but I haven't had a lot of time and I'm getting nervous about not having this story finished quite yet. I'm planning to type the next chapter as I'm typing this so I figured I should post.  
  
Gilthas: Yeah, and I told her to.  
  
Me: Shut up...  
  
Chapter 6: And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal...  
  
Harry lay in bed that night trying to contemplate how to bring a struggling magical civilization to its feet. He stared up at the ceiling.  
  
He would never get used to the ceiling. Out of Hogwarts and in he had always had a 4-poster. He found it difficult to sleep without one, but the beds had been done away with as they were a constant reminder of the past. Harry closed his eyes. He played before his eyes the final battle between himself and Lord Voldemort-a battle he would never forget.  
  
In his mind he heard his own screams, roaring in his ears and the remembered prickle of what felt like knives piercing his skin as he fought against the Cruciatus Curse. He squeezed his eyes tighter shut as the contest of strengths continued. He had fallen to the ground as the curse was lifted, only to scramble to his feet. That small amount of time was enough for Voldemort to dispose of him with a single curse. He had known it then and he knew it now. Voldemort knew it too, but he did not strike. There was no fun in taking out your opponents so early in the match...  
  
Harry wrenched his eyes open and found beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead. He wiped them away and felt as he did so a long, lightning bolt shape. His fingers paused over it. And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal...  
  
Harry removed his hand quickly. He had never before or after felt such terror as he had felt the night he had faced Voldemort. That night he knew that one of them must surely die if the other was to live. Harry had felt near blinding panic rising in him as he stood there, facing Voldemort and he felt now, that panic rising again. For the rest of his life, Harry had made a never ending joke about it. "At least I'm not facing Voldemort again," he would say with a slight smile. His friends would smile at him nervously, not quite knowing how to respond.  
  
Harry felt his gut wrench at the thought of his friends. Ron...Hermione... He would never see them again. He did not know what it was like to live without them. He had been the first out of the trio to die...  
  
It felt funny to say such a thing and Harry knew it. There were not many who still lived to claim such things. Harry sighed and sat up. He couldn't sleep. Not tonight. He had just faced down Voldemort and he had won again. But Voldemort had been unprepared and Harry knew he would not find him in such a position again.  
  
He swung his legs over the sides of the bed. It was time to do something to stop the third rise of the Dark Lord. The time was now. It was always now. He was not one to think-I'll wait until morning. Voldemort would not wait until morning. He was mustering his troops now.  
  
Harry grabbed his robes and pulled them over his head. He looked down at himself. It felt strange to be wearing these robes. They were different than anything he had ever worn. They were mostly black but with golden trimmings and the Hogwarts crest sewn into the right shoulder. The students wore their house crest on their robes. The symbol of the Potter house was a phoenix.  
  
Harry walked to the door, trying to flatten his hair. He caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror on the other wall. He took his hand off his head. He had stopped trying to flatten his hair long ago. It was a fruitless and all together pointless exercise that he had completely desisted from for years. He walked over to the mirror and gazed at his strange reflection. He hadn't noticed it since he got back and he found it was an altogether forgotten picture of himself.  
  
Harry studied it for a moment. The first thing he noticed was that though his features may be younger, his eyes retained their previous appearance. Yes, he thought. My eyes are much too old for my face. He ran his fingers through his completely black hair. It had been heavily streaked with gray when he died. He had died at a young age and though he could remember everything else, he found his death was a complete mystery to him.  
  
Harry walked through the door and into the deserted hallway. He began to walk when he saw a small red light blinking, hardly noticeable, in front of the door he had just left. Harry bent down to examine it. Pulling out his wand, Harry touched it to the light and muttered, "Sensuivre!"  
  
Harry closed his eyes and saw as though a movie were playing on his closed eyelids. He shot though the small red light as if it were not there. He followed the wire behind it to a control room. From there, he passed through another wire and ended up at an alarm clock that was buzzing. Harry opened his eyes and Apparated. He appeared in the room with the alarm and looked around. He wasn't quite sure where he was at. Shrugging, Harry made to leave when he heard a voice behind him.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Harry turned around and found himself face to face with the headmistress. He opened his mouth in surprise. "Er.hello."  
  
"Harry?" she asked, squinting though the darkness at him.  
  
"Er.yeah," Harry said. "Sorry, I wanted to find out where the blinking red light went."  
  
"Did you?" the headmistress asked, smiling slightly.  
  
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," Harry said, glad he wasn't in trouble. He blinked. It had been a long time since he worried about being in trouble.  
  
"I suppose you were the one who left your room?" the headmistress asked.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said. "Patrolling the halls gone out of style?"  
  
"A very long time ago," the headmistress said. "It's much more effective this way. We all get sleep and we know if a student gets out of bed."  
  
"I'm monitored too?" Harry asked suspiciously.  
  
"Not you personally," the headmistress assured him. "Just the room you're staying in. All the sleeping quarters are."  
  
"Indeed," Harry said. The more he found out about the new technology the more he disliked it. "Did you know that by putting all these electrical components in the school, you're making it an easy target for Voldemort?"  
  
The headmistress blinked at the sudden change of subject. "Well, no. I suppose I never thought of that."  
  
"All Voldemort has to do is shut off all the power and immediately the school is left in the dark."  
  
"Oh no," the headmistress said laughing. "That can never happen."  
  
"Really?" Harry asked.  
  
"No," the headmistress said confidently. "Because, contrary to what you're thinking, the electricity in this school is not the same as what the Muggles use. It's hooked up completely by and ancient and powerful magic. Nobody can remember when it was hooked up, but the spell is too powerful for anyone in modern day to tamper with."  
  
Harry concentrated. "Ah," he said, feeling a vague tingle of magic. "There it is."  
  
Harry put his hand on the alarm clock and concentrated. The next second, the alarm clock had gone off, along with the rest of the electricity in the school. The headmistress looked stunned. "How-How-"  
  
"Because it's not powerful magic," Harry said shrugging. Concentrating again, he turned the power back on. The alarm clock blinked 12:00.  
  
"Whoops," Harry said, grinning a little. "Sorry about that."  
  
The headmistress was looking at him. "That was the most powerful magic I have seen in my entire life."  
  
Harry looked at her, trying to find something in her eyes that said she was joking, but she was dead serious.  
  
"But that was nothing," Harry insisted. "There are much more powerful spells in the world than that! They are all but lost! You don't have a hope of standing against the likes of Voldemort if you can't even do the basics! He can do the unforgivables!"  
  
The headmistress stared at him for a moment before realization dawned in her eyes. "Oh.the unforgivables! I remember now. I think I read about those in a history book! They haven't been demonstrated in hundreds of years!"  
  
"Then please explain to me," Harry said, quiet but with intensity. "How a woman dropped dead when a jet of green light shot out of the tip of Voldemort's wand just yesterday."  
  
The headmistress said nothing for a moment, then she sighed. "I cannot explain such a thing, Mr. Potter. All I can tell you is that this is beyond everything I have learned. This exceeds everything I have been taught to know and believe."  
  
"Then perhaps," Harry said quieter still. "This is not the third rise of Voldemort. This is the first conquer of Voldemort." With that he Apparated from the room. He didn't know where he would appear and was surprised to find himself standing in front of a stone gargoyle. He looked at it for a long moment and then said quietly. "I need some advice, Dumbledore."  
  
The stone gargoyle did not move. It sat there, staring at him with blank eyes.  
  
Harry didn't even notice. It felt slightly comforting to be outside Dumbledore's office, even if it now belonged to a new head.  
  
"I'm not sure what to do," Harry continued. "I've faced a lot of things. I've always ended up doing everything on my own. But the war has only begun and already I'm feeling the stirrings of defeat."  
  
Harry sat down cross legged and leaned back against the cool stone wall. "You would think, wouldn't you," Harry said with a small smile. "That because I am alive in a time after death and the age of technology that I could find within myself the answers I'm looking for. But I have to admit, Dumbledore, I am once again at a loss. I remember," Harry said smiling a little again. "The very first time I ever went up to your office. I thought I was in trouble. Nearly Headless Nick and Justin Finch-Fletchly had just been petrified and I was once again found at the scene of the crime. I was shunned by the entire school. But I still had my friends, I still had everything that was familiar to me, and I still had your trust, Dumbledore. Because you were the only one who never doubted me for a moment."  
  
Harry closed his eyes and leaned his head against the stone wall, breathing deeply and remembering everything about the school-how it smelled, how it looked, how it sounded. He sat there for was seemed like hours, lost in thought until something in the real world brought him back to the present.  
  
"Hello," Harry said suddenly.  
  
"You heard me, did you?" asked an amused voice.  
  
Harry opened his eyes and looked up into the face of Grander. "I heard you since you began to climb the stairs a floor below."  
  
"I suppose I'm not quite as graceful as I thought I was," Grander said grinning. "Out for a night time stroll?"  
  
"I suppose," Harry said shrugging. "I couldn't sleep without my 4-poster."  
  
"Those things are ancient," Grander said, surprised. "I didn't know you used to sleep in one!"  
  
"I used to sleep in a coffin," Harry said pointedly. "And now I'm not. What can I say?"  
  
Grander shrugged. "On the bright side, I bet you're the only one who can say that."  
  
"Don't bet too much," Harry said, his smile fading.  
  
"Very true," Grander said nodding. "Any ideas?"  
  
Harry didn't need to ask what he was talking about. He shook his head. "I was hoping to get some advice from my old headmaster." He jerked his thumb at the gargoyle behind him. "But I suppose the new headmistress has changed around that room quite a bit too."  
  
Grander looked confused. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"The headmaster's office," Harry said, looking confused himself. "Behind the gargoyle."  
  
"Oh no," Grander said. "The headmistress's office is down on the 2nd floor."  
  
Harry blinked. "Then who lives in there?"  
  
Grander looked more confused still. "No one. I wasn't aware there was a room behind it."  
  
"Oh," Harry said. He stood up. "I guess I just assumed it was in the same place."  
  
Grander looked thoughtful. "You know, I've always taken it for granted. I always supposed it was just a spirit."  
  
"What?" Harry asked.  
  
"A great bird," Grander said shrugging. "It is very rarely seen, but perhaps once, if you're exceptionally lucky, you can see a huge scarlet and gold bird. I myself have seen it only once and I very rarely leave this place."  
  
Harry's mind was reeling. "A bird you say? Where did you see it?"  
  
"It was perched on a window ledge," Grander said shrugging. "I tried to find the ledge later and I could never find the right one. It was like it existed only for the bird to sit there. I never thought that perhaps there was a room there."  
  
Harry nodded. He didn't show anything on his face, but his mind was a confused jumble. Surely he wasn't talking about Fawkes! He knew the bird would burst into flame, but would it be like that forever? It had been hit by the killing curse in his 5th year and it had simply reappeared at a baby chick.  
  
"The funny thing about the bird," Grander continued, seeming to be in his own world rather than in this one. "Is that every report of it claims it appears to be waiting. These reports have gone back centuries. It never hunts and it never seems to be searching. It's always. waiting." Grander shook his head. "But I must sound like a rambling fool. You say there used to be a room behind this gargoyle?"  
  
"Never mind," Harry said, shaking his head. "Tell me-I've been wondering this for a while and I honestly don't remember-how is it exactly, that I died?"  
  
Grander looked taken aback by the question. "Well, no one really knows, do they? I mean, they must have known at one time, but that knowledge is lost to us."  
  
"Oh," Harry said. He looked at the gargoyle again. "Perhaps there are some things no one will ever know."  
  
There was silence for a moment and the next, Harry yelled. His scar was suddenly burning as if on fire. Harry clutched it in agony, willing it to go away but the harder he tried to make it stop; the more painful it began to burn.  
  
Harry fell to his knees. He was feeling Voldemort's wrath and there was nothing he could do. Voldemort's anger welled up inside him. Everything started to turn red.  
  
"No!" Harry gasped. His scar seared once again. Voldemort was torturing someone. He could feel the anger give way to amusement. He could practically hear the screams. Harry felt he would be sick. He closed his eyes to the world and concentrated on reaching Voldemort's mind.  
  
As if seeing through Voldemort's eyes, Harry saw a witch screaming and writhing on the floor in front of him. He removed his wand with a snap.  
  
"So," Voldemort said softly. "You have returned."  
  
Harry didn't know who he was talking to. There wasn't anyone else in the room.  
  
"Idiot," Voldemort said softly. "You're as ignorant as when I met you last. Do you honestly believe I cannot feel you when you invade my mind?"  
  
Back in the castle, Harry's gut wrenched. Voldemort knew he was there.  
  
"Of course I know you're there," Voldemort said dismissively. "And what's wrong, Mr. Potter? Is your scar irking you a bit?"  
  
"Why do you ask stupid questions if you already know the answer," Harry thought quietly.  
  
"Ah, it appears our young Potter has thought of a few comebacks. Tell me, did you think of that by yourself or did one of your dead friends think it up for you?"  
  
Harry's anger flared. "I have nothing to say to you, Voldemort."  
  
"Ah, but you do," Voldemort said. "You have much to say to me. Everyone wants to take a crack at old Voldemort. What is it you wish to say? Do you want to yell at me about your dead parents? Do you wish to stun me with your amazing vocabulary on the subject of the now burned London?"  
  
"I believe my murdering you said all that needed to be said," Harry thought with a smirk.  
  
Voldemort's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps, Potter. But fate has given me another chance, and this time you will not win."  
  
"We shall see," Harry thought. "We shall see."  
  
A/N: Boy, I got no where in that chapter.  
  
Gilthas: I second that.  
  
Me: Gee, thanks. I'm replying to my reviews now.  
  
Gilthas: Good. You deserve a pat on the head. *pats on head*  
  
Me: *is pleased* Okay, reply time!!  
  
kento: Yeah...lack of action in this chapter. I'm really hoping to get somewhere at some point. I think something does in the next chapter. Think...finding old faces...  
  
Authoress: Tadda!!!  
  
Patricia Black: Hope you're not disappointed!!! No...really. I'm not sure how much I like this chapter...  
  
grand admiral chelli: More Harry and Voldemort conversation! Yay! *is pleased she did something right* I'm glad you like my future wizarding world!!!  
  
Allizarin Sylvain Phyre: I'm glad it's worth reading and yes, very special!!!  
  
linky2: I've written more!!!  
  
Star Magel: Thanks!!!  
  
Padfoot Lover73: Thanks! See, my original idea was that Harry came back because he was an Animagus that could transform into a phoenix and therefore came back when the fire burned him, but I can assure you that I've thought of something better than that...  
  
Solaris Isis: *is pleased* Updated!!!  
  
Prd2bAmerican18: Bum Bum Ba!! Oh, that's the drums...  
  
keebler_elmo: Just wait... all will be revealed...  
  
The Vampire Story Hunter: Yeah, I was wondering about the disadvantage things myself, though in a different light. Surely there has to be something good about technology!!! Still...Bwahahahaha!!! I can't wait until you get to the chapter I'm writing now....  
  
sara*magic: reading my mind...  
  
spacecatdet: Definitely. It's even a little burdensome when writing!! Sometimes I want to hit someone over the head with a large, blunt object! My own characters!!! Still, makes a story worth reading, doesn't it?  
  
Dumbledore: Good review!!! I like that you thought about that. Voldemort, however, has a few tricks up his sleeve he hasn't revealed yet...  
  
HongMing: *whimpers* But I'm so secure in my already having some chapters done that aren't posted! I feel like I'm getting behind already!!!  
  
sab: Thanks!!!  
  
Slimpun: I like to think so, though (knowing Voldemort) less confident should probably be the more appropriate term.  
  
Sea-Turtles: It's out and I'm only half dead! Making progress!!!  
  
The Mystical Elf: Yes... I admit I enjoyed writing the Quidditch scene a little. It was kind of fun.  
  
Liz: Bum. Bum. Buuuuum!!!! All will be revealed!!!  
  
Jensen: This was my last review before I posted! Okay, here it is! My chapter!!! I'm not going to say anything about the Grindelwald and Dumbledore because that might give something away that I really want to be a surprise.  
  
Me: Again, I don't like this chapter very much because nothing happens and I can't believe I didn't just scrape it!!! If you like it please tell me! I'm not sure about it in the least!!!  
  
Gilthas: You have to have more pride in your work.  
  
Me: Yes, but I'm afraid I'm going to let my readers down with this chapter. I can't believe the lack of things that happened...  
  
Gilthas: *bites lip*  
  
Me: I thought you were supposed to have confidence in me!!  
  
Gilthas: I do! But you've planted a seed of doubt...  
  
Me: *mutters* stupid seed... 


	8. Old Faces

A/N: If any of you are reading both my stories, you'll notice that for some reason I posted a chapter for each of my stories today. See, I was wondering about this for odd reasons that I shall not tell you and I wasn't sure which chapter to put out first so I put them out at the same time! Go me!  
  
Gilthas: I put her up to it.  
  
Me: You are my muse.  
  
Gilthas: Yes, and SOME people would do well to remember that.  
  
Me: I told you! Me and Drizzt are just friends! I swear!  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Chapter 7: Old Faces  
  
"Harry! Are you sure you're alright?"  
  
It was the next day and Grander had approached Harry in the halls. Harry knew he must look worn and tired, but he hadn't gotten much sleep last night and it was amazing how much more sleep a teenage boy needed. He had completely forgotten.  
  
"Yeah," Harry assured Grander. "I'm fine. What's up?"  
  
"The Charms teacher, Professor Warwick has just left for the Ministry. He asked if I could sit in for his class since I have a planning period. Unfortunately, the Headmistress had just asked me to teach Transfiguration since Professor Smith just left for home. Her sister is sick."  
  
"Let me guess," Harry said. "You want me to teach Charms?"  
  
"I'd much rather do as the headmistress asked than another teacher."  
  
"I thought I bombed last time I tried to teach. Isn't there someone else?"  
  
"No there isn't, and you didn't 'bomb', whatever that means. You did well. I've never seen Ryan turn in homework before!"  
  
Harry blinked. "You mean that little annoying kid?"  
  
"Yes," Grander said nodding.  
  
Harry sighed. "I suppose I could step in. Kids are going to start thinking I'm a substitute."  
  
Grander smiled and hurried away. Harry set his steps to the charm classroom before remembering he had no idea how to work the computer that would give him the lesson plans. He turned as though expecting Grander to still be there but the corridor was empty.  
  
Harry took a deep breath and headed to the classroom. It was empty when he arrived. All the students were still eating breakfast in the Great Hall. Harry cast a dubious look at the computer before setting in the seat in front of it and pressing the power button.  
  
The gentle whirring noise the computer had been making died down.  
  
"Whoops," Harry said, quickly pushing the power button again.  
  
The computer started again and immediately Harry found himself staring at the desktop. He scanned the monitor and clicked on the icon that said, 'Lesson Plans' Just as he was patting himself on the back for getting that much right, a small window popped up. Blinking in surprise, Harry read it aloud.  
  
"Please insert name and password."  
  
Glancing around the room, Harry typed in 'Warwick' under name and then typed it again under password.  
  
Another window popped up saying it was the incorrect password. Harry clicked the 'okay' button and pressed backspace over the automatically highlighted password. Thinking for a moment, he slowly typed in 'Hogwarts' under password.  
  
The incorrect password window popped up again. Frowning, Harry erased the password again. Typing in Gryffindor, Harry tried again.  
  
This time the same window did not pop up. A small warning window popped up. Harry read it in panic. 'You have typed in the incorrect password. If you do not desist in you attempt to break into the computer, you will be arrested'.  
  
Harry's eyes grew wide. He clicked the okay button again and stared at the computer. What was the password? Reached over to switch off the monitor, deciding it would simply be better to try it without the computer, his elbow hit a button on the keyboard. A loud buzzer began to sound. Completely panicking now, Harry whipped out his wand and hit it hard on the computer, shouting, "Quietus!"  
  
The buzzing was silenced. Harry breathed a sigh of relief that was suddenly stopped. Three people had just appeared in the doorway. He recognized them as three professors.  
  
"Harry?" the Astronomy teacher asked, confused.  
  
"I'm sorry!" Harry said desperately. "Professor Grander asked me to sit in the class because he had to sit in for Transfiguration and he had promised to sit in here too! I didn't mean to! I was trying to get into the lesson plans! It was an accident! It asked for a password and I didn't know it and it started beeping at me!"  
  
The Astronomy teacher took one look at his panic stricken face and burst out laughing. Harry was shocked. Why was she laughing?  
  
The other teachers started laughing too. The Astronomy teacher tried to regain control over herself. "I-I'm sorry!" she gasped. "You just looked so- so terrified! It was hilarious!"  
  
Harry frowned, his panic ebbing away. "It's not funny!"  
  
The Astronomy teacher burst out laughing again. Harry patiently waited for her to stop, regaining control over his emotions. Meanwhile, a light had started flashing over the computer. The students had begun to leave the Great Hall and a few of them had stopped in the corridor to see what was going on. Harry waved his wand irritably at the flashing light. It stopped.  
  
By the time the whole thing was cleared up, the entire class had arrived and was staring at him. Harry felt much more uncomfortable than he had done teaching the previous class.  
  
He cleared his throat unnecessarily to get their already undivided attention. "Er.I'm Harry. I'm going to be sitting in for Professor Warwick. As you all saw, I couldn't get into his computer to see what you're covering so I'm going to have to rely on you. Er.yes?"  
  
A hand was in the air.  
  
"Excuse me, Professor, but people are saying around school that you banished Lord Voldemort yesterday when he attacked Hogsmeade."  
  
Harry shifted uncomfortably. He had never liked to talk about his achievements. "Er.who told you this?"  
  
"It's true, isn't it?" asked a little girl, looking up at him in awe. "I heard he burnt London to the ground!"  
  
"Well, yes, he did-" Harry began.  
  
"I heard only Harry Potter's powers rivaled Voldemort's," said a boy skeptically.  
  
"That's true-" Harry tried.  
  
"I don't think it's the same Voldemort," said one girl matter-a-factly.  
  
"Actually-"  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course it's the same Voldemort!" said a boy, scoffing. "How many do you think there are?"  
  
"Excuse me-" Harry tried to get their attention.  
  
"It could be a copycat," the girl responded.  
  
"Hello?" Harry said, trying to get a word in.  
  
"That just shows how much you know," the boy scoffed.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Class!" Harry yelled loudly.  
  
They continued to ignore him. "But how did they know he was going to attack Hogsmeade?"  
  
"He stood out there forever! They couldn't not know!"  
  
Having enough, Harry pulled out his wand and waved it. Silence fell instantly though they were still attempting to talk. The class blinked.  
  
"Thank you," Harry said. His voice sounded eerily loud. "If we can please turn our attention back to me?"  
  
Harry waved his wand again and a few students made noises experimentally.  
  
"How did you do that?" asked the girl who had thought it wasn't the real Voldemort.  
  
"It's a charm," Harry said pointedly. "Something you came to this class to learn. Last time I checked, it was the teacher who did the talking."  
  
"And how long ago was that?" asked a boy sarcastically.  
  
"About the last time he brushed his hair," muttered his friend loudly.  
  
"No," Harry said, grinning a little. "It was actually much longer than that."  
  
"Excuse me, Professor," asked a girl that hadn't said anything. "I've seen you around school a few times, but nobody's quite sure what you do."  
  
"I'm currently substituting for Professor Warwick," Harry said, trying to change the subject without the class noticing. "If you will all look back up here-"  
  
"But Professor," interjected a boy. "You don't look old enough to be 17! I know, I've got 5 older brothers!"  
  
"I'm older than 17," Harry said before remembering he was stuck in 16-year- old form.  
  
"You don't look it," said a girl skeptically.  
  
"Trust me," Harry said. "Now, back to the subject of charms. Who can tell me what you did last class?"  
  
"We went over chapter five," said a girl promptly.  
  
"And what's in that chapter?" Harry asked, flipping through the book on the desk to chapter 5. "Ah, the history of charms? Er.I never did this."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked a boy quickly. "I mentioned it to my mum and she said it was her least favorite time in Charms. She's way older than you are!"  
  
A few kids laughed. Harry thought of something to say. "Well, never mind that. Today we're going to be practicing Charms. So, wands out everyone."  
  
Everyone looked at one another but no one moved to take their wands out.  
  
"Er." Harry said. "That means remove your wands from your bags."  
  
Casting confused looks at each other, the kids rummaged in their bags for their wands.  
  
When the last kid had their wand in their hand, Harry whipped his out. "Okay, we're going to be covering the summoning charm today. Can anyone tell me what the summoning charm is?"  
  
"It summons things?" said a boy sarcastically.  
  
"That's the about it," Harry said. "Is there anyone in here who can perform it?"  
  
The class looked at each other.  
  
"No?" Harry asked, a little putout. "This is 4th year, isn't it?"  
  
The class nodded.  
  
Harry took a deep breath. "Okay, well, the spell is Accio. Say you wanted to summon a book. Then you could point your wand at it and say the charm, or you could say Accio Book. Either way. Accio Book!"  
  
The book sitting on a girl's desk in the front of the class zoomed into Harry's hand. Harry looked around and saw every kid looking startled.  
  
"Wow," the girl whose book Harry was holding said.  
  
"What?" Harry asked, thinking this was some kind of joke. "It's not that big a deal. It's not like it's really that powerful."  
  
"That's like 7th year magic!" said a boy, staring at Harry. "We're not supposed to learn stuff like that yet!"  
  
"That's not 7th year," Harry said, confused. "It's 4th. That's when I learned. Okay, er." Harry opened the cabinet behind the desk. "Here are some books. Everyone can summon them. Um, everyone to the front of the class for a moment."  
  
The class shuffled to the front of the class, looking apprehensive. Harry waved his wand and the desks flew to the side of the room into neat rows. There were collective gasps from the class.  
  
"What?" Harry asked, irritated.  
  
"I've never seen someone do that," said a girl. "You must be pretty powerful!"  
  
"Er.thanks," Harry said. "But I hardly feel I deserve it. I bet all you professors can do it."  
  
"No, they can't," said a boy seriously. "I've never seen someone who can do it."  
  
At that moment, a girl came bursting into the room. She looked as if she had gotten ready in a hurry and ran all the way here. "Sorry, Professor Warwick!" she gasped. "My alarm didn't go off! I-" She stopped seeing Harry. "Oh, sorry. I thought this was Charms."  
  
"It is," said a girl.  
  
The girl blinked. "What are we doing?"  
  
"Magic," said a boy.  
  
"Magic?" asked the girl blankly. "What does that mean?"  
  
"We're practicing the summoning charm," Harry said. He started to pass out books. "We're practicing on these books."  
  
"But summoning charms are N.E.W.T. level!" said the girl in awe.  
  
"No they're not," Harry said. "They're 4th year. Here, get into groups of three." The class quietly organized into groups. They all stared at him, their wands held loosely.  
  
"Er.now what do we do?" asked a boy nervously.  
  
"Summon the books to you," Harry said. "Remember the charm is Accio."  
  
"Can we see you do it again?" asked a girl apprehensively.  
  
Harry pointed his wand at a book and said, "Accio!" The book flew into his hand. "See? It's easy."  
  
The class looked at their book and there were a few nervous shouts of "Accio!"  
  
Nothing happened. Harry walked around the classroom, correcting grips and pronunciations. By the end of class only a few people managed to move their books at all. Harry sat down at the teacher's desk and absentmindedly twirled his wand between his fingers as he did when he wasn't paying attention to anything. He was thinking hard. The students were very much behind. Only one person had managed to do the charm properly.  
  
He was still sitting at the desk when Grander came it. "Oh, Harry! There you are. How did it go?"  
  
"They don't know summoning charms," Harry said, looking at him.  
  
"Well of course not!" Grander said laughing. "That's seventh year magic!"  
  
"It wasn't seventh year magic when I was in school. It was 4th year," Harry said stubbornly.  
  
"That was quite a long time ago," Grander said pointedly. "Times have doubtlessly changed."  
  
"Clearly," Harry said. "Only one student could perform the charm at all and only a few others could even make their book move."  
  
"They just haven't had much practice," Grander said shrugging. "We don't do a lot of magic in school today."  
  
"Trust me," Harry said. "That much I know." He stood up. "I think that perhaps to give the kids a fighting chance; you should start to teach them magic in classes."  
  
"But I'm History of Magic professor," Grander said pointedly. "We don't do magic in my class."  
  
"They didn't teach it with me either," Harry said stubbornly. "But there's a first time for everything, right?"  
  
Grander took a deep breath and nodded.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry opened his eyes. That same horrible ceiling looked down on him. Harry frowned. He hated that ceiling.  
  
He sat up and grabbed his glasses. He changed quickly into his robes and stuffed his wand into his pocket.  
  
Waving his wand once at the little red light at his feet to prevent the alarm going off, Harry exited his room quietly and without notice. He set his footsteps to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
He stopped in front of a large door where the fat lady had used to hang. Trying it, he found it locked.  
  
It was then that he noticed a small number pad at the side. So they did still have passwords. He pulled out his wand and prodded the little keyboard. It shut off and Harry heard the lock click in the door.  
  
This time, the door opened for him. He blinked in the gloom of the room and realized it didn't have a fire. At one horrific thought, he groped toward the wall and found a light switch. This was wrong in so many ways.  
  
There was a groan from the room. Apparently a student had fallen asleep in the common room.  
  
"It's not morning yet."  
  
"Sorry," Harry muttered and flipped off the lights again.  
  
"Did I fall asleep in the common room again?" asked a voice from the darkness.  
  
"Looks like it," Harry said. He couldn't stop himself from grinning.  
  
Grumbling sleepily, the figure gathered up his books and made for the boys' staircase.  
  
When the room was deserted again, Harry flipped on the lights.  
  
The common room was very different. With the absence of the fireplace, it seemed smaller. The polished stone walls were nearly covered with large Gryffindor banners. Harry saw a large picture of the Quidditch team, holding broomsticks and wearing 3D glasses. Harry frowned.  
  
This certainly hadn't been how it was when he was in school. He had half a mind to blast a fireplace in the wall, but he knew that wouldn't do any good. Besides, he was rather hesitant about fire at the moment.  
  
He shook his head and walked out of the room. His footsteps carried him to Dumbledore's office for the third time since he'd been there. He sat down against the wall.  
  
"Was it this hard for you?" Harry asked suddenly. "Was it really this complicated? If it was, how did you do it? It doesn't make any sense to me."  
  
There was no answer. The gargoyle remained as motionless as always.  
  
Harry sighed. "I don't know how it is I came back," he said at last. "I don't know why and I don't know how. Well, yes. I do know why. Because Voldemort's back and someone has to defeat him, don't they? How is a different story, however."  
  
He leaned his head back against the wall. "I just saw the Gryffindor common room. It's horrible. It really is. It's nothing like it's supposed to be. It's just wrong." He took a deep breath. "I don't want to go through this again, Dumbledore. I kinda wish you were here to help."  
  
The gargoyle behind Harry stirred. Harry leapt to his feet. The entrance opened before his eyes. Blinking, Harry looked up as the moving staircase began to move. It made a scraping noise and it didn't go very fast. It looked like it hadn't been used in hundreds of years.  
  
Harry stepped onto the staircase. A sense of excitement grew within him- something he had not felt since he had arrived. He was going up to Dumbledore's old office!  
  
He stopped in front of the door. Feeling it would be truly horrible to simply waltz in after all those years, but not really expecting a response, Harry reached up a fist and knocked.  
  
Sounds came from inside. First one person spoke.  
  
"Was that a knock?"  
  
A few more sleepy voices answered.  
  
"What are you on about?"  
  
"A knock! There was a knock on the door!"  
  
"Of course it wasn't! No one even remembers this place! Why would they knock? They would just come in!"  
  
"I heard a knock!" Insisted the first voice.  
  
"Well don't just stand there, moron! Tell them to come in!"  
  
"Come in!"  
  
The voices hushed suddenly and Harry slowly pushed open the door.  
  
He looked into the expectant faces of every portrait in the office.  
  
"Well I'll be!" gasped a witch. "It's Harry Potter! Look at his scar! Hasn't aged a day, he hasn't!"  
  
The room erupted into noise. Harry took a step back involuntarily.  
  
Finally one voice spoke above the others. "It's good to see you again, Harry."  
  
Harry looked at the speaker. "P-Professor D-Dumbledore?"  
  
The room quieted once again.  
  
"Good evening, Harry. May I ask how it is you arrived in this time?" Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.  
  
"I never thought I'd see you again!" Harry said. "You've just been sitting up here the whole time?"  
  
Dumbledore shrugged in his portrait. "There's no where else to go. Do have any idea what year it is?"  
  
"3003, I think," Harry answered.  
  
"Good, now perhaps you could explain to this eagerly waiting crowd of portraits how it is you're sixteen in the years 3003."  
  
"I don't really know," Harry said. "There's a graveyard outside the castle and I woke up in it the other day and the whole thing was on fire! I don't know how or why, but I was sitting in my own grave, Dumbledore. My grave."  
  
"Indeed," Dumbledore said, frowning slightly. "I'm afraid I'm rather a bit off my game, I haven't had anything worth while to think about in quite a long time. Let's see.the graveyard was on fire, you say?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"And do you remember anything about your life before you died but after you were the age you are now.in the other time?"  
  
Harry nodded. "I remember everything. I have no idea about anything though, and now Voldemort's back and he's trying to destroy the world. And this future world is horribly dependant on technology. There's a light switch in the Gryffindor common room!"  
  
There was scattered mumbling throughout the portraits.  
  
"And you're afraid the wizarding world can't defeat Voldemort because they know nothing of magic?"  
  
"No," Harry said, shaking his head. "I'm afraid the wizarding world can't even begin to defend itself against the likes of Voldemort. Defeating him is out of the question."  
  
Dumbledore rubbed his eyes. "Welcome back to the world," he muttered. "This certainly wasn't what I was expecting to hear the second the first person came in here."  
  
"Sorry," Harry said apologetically. "I just don't have any idea what I'm supposed to do. I've taught a few classes here and the students are learning summoning charms in N.E.W.T. year!"  
  
"That's ridiculous," a wizard in another portrait shouted. "Surely they know more than that!"  
  
Harry shook his head. "When I told them we were having a practical lesson, I also had to tell them that we would actually be using wands in class!"  
  
The room had gone rather silent.  
  
"How did you get in here?" Asked a wizard suddenly. Harry recognized him as Phineas Nigellus.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, how did you get in?"  
  
"I dunno," Harry said. "I've come down here twice already and then Grander- the History of Magic teacher-told me that he didn't even know there was a room behind here!"  
  
"That's because no one could get in," Dumbledore said heavily. "When the person who made my portrait.made my portrait, he was supposed to unlock the door and choose a password. He didn't. He didn't even use the door. It hasn't opened since."  
  
"Geez," Harry said, blinking. "Who made your portrait?"  
  
"I barely remember," Dumbledore said, waving a hand dismissively.  
  
"Yes you do!" said a witch suddenly. "It was." she trailed off, her eyes wide. "I mean, I suppose that was the person who made my portrait."  
  
Harry looked at them all, frowning. "Do you really remember and just don't want to tell me?"  
  
"Truthfully?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded. "Yes."  
  
"Why should it even matter?" Harry asked. His temper rose again and he stopped, holding it in check. "I mean, they're dead, right?"  
  
"You would think," Dumbledore said heavily.  
  
"What does that mean?" Harry asked.  
  
"Another day, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Not tonight. It would take far too long to explain."  
  
"Just like old times," Harry muttered. "Fine. Don't tell me. But I'm not really 16, remember? I just happen to be in my 16-year-old form. Everyone's treating me like one of the students. They don't seem to realize I'm actually much older than anyone alive today-except for Voldemort. He has a few years on me."  
  
"Not enough to talk about," Dumbledore said smiling kindly.  
  
"So," Phineas said. "Perhaps we could back to the problem at hand that is the complete destruction of the world at Voldemort's hands. There are very few people who get third chances, you know. Lots of people get second chances. Not very many third."  
  
Harry looked at him oddly. "Having trouble staying on topic, are we?"  
  
Phineas shrugged. "I was very bored for 1000 years."  
  
"I can tell."  
  
Phineas scowled.  
  
"So, tell me about Voldemort's previous attacks."  
  
_________________________________________________  
  
A/N: Tadda! Did anyone read the chapter of my other story before they read this one? Oh well. There are a few answers in it...  
  
Prd2bAmerican18: Updated!!  
  
Allizarin Sylvain Phyre: I hope this is longer!  
  
sabrina: Thanks!  
  
Padfoot Lover 73: Sooner than expected! But, hey, it was a weekend. I couldn't pass up the chance to post now, could I?  
  
sara*magic: I updated BTBT as well! I like your comparison. Grander has more to him than first sight. Boy, cryptic or what?  
  
Authoress: Hehe! Dumbledore's in a portrait! I don't know about Ron and Hermione, but Dumbledore's back! Who made his portrait? Wait didn't they say something about that in BTBT...?  
  
Me: Thanks for all the reviews! I know this one is posted earlier than I expected it to be, but I'm sure no one has any objections...  
  
Gilthas: Except for you! What did I tell you about posting too many chapters? What are you going to do when all this posting catches up to you and you have nothing more to post?  
  
Me: Roll over and die?  
  
Gilthas: *hits self in forehead*  
  
Me: Okay, press that little BLUE button and review! :) 


	9. Answered Questions

A/N: First, I want to apologize because I do not have time to answer reviews. I'm going to go shop for birthday presents in about five minutes. Here's the next chapter!!!  
  
~  
  
Chapter 8: Answered Questions  
  
Harry went about the next day with a new skip in his step. He had seen Dumbledore! He had even set the new password when he left so he would be able to get in there whenever he wanted!  
  
"Harry!" Harry stopped at Grander's voice.  
  
"You're in a very good mood," Grander commented.  
  
"It happens every once in a while."  
  
Grander grinned. Then he sobered. "I don't want to put a puncture in the rareness of it, but I kept thinking of this prophecy last night. I found it again and I was going over it this morning. There are a few things I want to know about your resurrection though. I have class at the moment, however. Unless, that is, you would want-"  
  
"That's okay," Harry said quickly. "Can I see it?"  
  
Grander held the prophecy out to him. Harry read through it again. His heart fell a little at it's certain terms. He sighed and handed it back to Grander, muttering, "What's the use in continuing to fight if you know you're going to loose?"  
  
Grander looked up, surprised (though not as surprised as Harry when he realized he had spoken aloud.). "Innocent lives! Don't you understand? When Harry Potter had to fight down a score of Death Eaters and his grandfather had just died, he had nothing left! But he kept fighting and he won, didn't he?" Grander blinked. "Sorry, that's the same thing I say to students when they say they won't have time to finish their homework."  
  
Harry grinned a little. "I think you mean, I was in the Department of Mysteries, the sole reason for being there and risking the lives of all my friends had just been smashed to pieces, my godfather had just died, and I was possessed by Voldemort! Dumbledore saved the day, not me."  
  
"Again with this Dumbledore person!" Grander said. "I've honestly never heard of him! He was Headmaster, you say?"  
  
"Yes," Harry said sighing. "And he was everything I was. Head of the Order of the Phoenix, Supreme Mugwump, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, President of International Confederation of Wizards.he had his face on a Bertie Botts, you know."  
  
"You did too!" Grander said.  
  
"No, I didn't," Harry corrected. "I never let them. I would have had to sign a paper saying it was okay and I never did."  
  
"That's because they don't need a paper once you're dead."  
  
"Ah," Harry said, understanding.  
  
"Anyway," Grander said. "Back to this annoying prophecy..."  
  
"I hate Divination," Harry grumbled.  
  
"So do I," Grander agreed. "I quit really early when I was in school. Bunch of nonsense. And the teacher was always going on about how it could never be completely accurate. I went to Arithmacy instead."  
  
"You sound like my friend," Harry said. "Hermione Granger. She did exactly that when she was in school."  
  
"Sound like we would have gotten along," Grander said, nodding. "Anyway, I think I'll look over this prophecy during my free hour. Unless.you would like to take my class for me now. I think some of the kids liked you."  
  
Harry shook his head, seeing that the question had not been properly deflected earlier. "You're kidding, right? I'm really not that good at teaching."  
  
Grander raised his eyebrows. "I've been trying to teach them magic like you told me to, but it would probably be easier if I could actually perform the spells myself."  
  
"What are you trying to show them?"  
  
"Anything," Grander said fervently. "I barely know any magic. Please take my class!"  
  
Harry sighed and nodded. "As long as you tell me what you were studying."  
  
"It's all-"  
  
"If you say 'in the computer' I'm going to take a very large stick to that machine of yours and break it into a hundred little pieces."  
  
Grander grinned. "We were going over the International Peace Treaty of 2570."  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows. "And you honestly expect me to know anything about that?"  
  
"It doesn't matter," Grander said, shrugging. "You can just use it as a charms class or something. Teach them how to defend themselves."  
  
"Now that's something I actually know how to do."  
  
* * *  
  
He had the class's undivided attention. Harry cleared his throat unnecessarily.  
  
"You can put your books away. I'm hoping we can do something useful today."  
  
The students excited looks but did not talk as they hastily put their books back into their bags.  
  
"I've been thinking it over," Harry said when they finished. "And I think we'll do the Disarming Charm today. Does anyone know anything about it?"  
  
A single hand shot into the air.  
  
"Yes, er."  
  
"Hannah, Professor," said the girl. "It makes an object leave a person's hands."  
  
"Good," Harry said, nodding. "Er.5 points to Gryffindor?" Hannah nodded happily. Harry grinned. It might be fun to be able to control house points. "Okay, can anyone tell me something about using this charm during duel conditions?"  
  
The class looked startled.  
  
"Dueling?" asked a boy in the front blankly. "What, with wands?"  
  
"No," Harry said sarcastically. "With Muggle guns. Yes, with wands! Anyone?" Not a single hand raised into the air. Harry took a deep breath. "I suppose we'll start there."  
  
* * *  
  
Fifteen minutes into class, Harry realized that he was getting no where. Every face wore a frustrated look and a few were even banging their wands on the desks, trying to spark some magic out of them.  
  
"That's enough!" Harry called out and the class looked at him.  
  
He shook his head. "I knew you didn't know much magic, but I never expected this!"  
  
The class looked at each other.  
  
"Please, sir," the girl he recognized as Hannah spoke up hesitantly. "But Hogwarts has never really placed much emphasis on learning magic."  
  
"Yes it has," Harry said fiercely. "Just not anymore."  
  
The class exchanged glances. Hannah's hand found its way into the air again.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Please, sir," Hannah said, she said it very quietly so that Harry was sure she was using up a lot of nerve to ask. "But you say things like that and people say that you say you went to Hogwarts, and it makes no sense! I looked it up and all the teachers have been teaching for years! By the age you look, you should have had the same teachers we have now!"  
  
"Or should still be having them," a boy in the back of the class muttered.  
  
Harry sighed and sat down in his seat behind the desk where he had been standing to instruct the class. "What are you asking?"  
  
"I don't mean to sound rude or anything," Hannah squeaked out. "But who are you exactly and why are you here?"  
  
Slowly the class too moved to their seats and Harry knew that he had their undivided attention. "That's very a long and complicated story, not to mention, probably completely confidential."  
  
"I knew it!" Said a boy in back loudly. "So you are you connected to Voldemort!"  
  
Harry jumped that the boy had connected him so easily, but hastily said. "What makes you say that?"  
  
"It's obvious," the boy said, rolling his eyes. "You showed up around the same time he did and no one wants to explain anything! It only takes logic."  
  
"Looks like you have a tad more logic than magic," Harry said, steering himself expertly away from the subject. "Speaking of which, no one in the class has preformed the Expelliarmus charm yet." He looked around expectantly. No one made a move to get up. "Well?"  
  
"Please, sir," Hannah said, yet again being the speaker for the class. "We've waited a very long time to hear this and we would really like to know more."  
  
"Well I'll be." Harry muttered, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm honestly not at liberty to tell you there sort of things."  
  
"Are you from the Ministry?" piped up a girl in back.  
  
Harry laughed. "I'm certainly not from the Ministry."  
  
"Then where are you from? You popped out of no where!"  
  
Harry honestly couldn't bring himself to deny that. Thinking quickly, he thought of a plan. "For every Expelliarmus spell each one of you perform correctly, I'll give you a hint."  
  
Instantly wands were in hands and the spell on the tip of every tongue. Harry watched with approval as every student attempted the spell with renewed vigor. He had forgotten how influential the power of curiosity could be.  
  
Harry's eyes snapped when he saw sparks fly out of one wand. The boy whose wand had shot the sparks looked expectantly at Harry. Harry shook his head. "It has to actually work."  
  
The boy looked annoyed and tried again, after waiting for a failed attempt from his neighbor.  
  
"Expelliarmus!"  
  
A wand flew through the air and into the waiting hand of a smiling Hannah. The shouting stopped and every head turned to Harry. Harry took a deep breath. That had happened much faster than he had expected it. He thought quickly. He probably should have been thinking of the clue while they were practicing the spell.  
  
"You've...er...heard of me before," Harry supplied lamely.  
  
The students looked at one another.  
  
"You said your name's Harry," said one boy. "The only 'Harry' I've ever heard of it Harry Potter!"  
  
Harry couldn't help but grin. It slipped slightly when he saw the girl who had performed the spell, Hannah, suddenly looking at him incredulously.  
  
Hoping to prevent her from saying something and alerting the entire class, he said quickly, "That's it for today. Practice the spell while you're gone. It could come in useful. Class dismissed."  
  
There was the regular noise as everyone grabbed their bags and made to leave. Harry did not look at them as they left, but kept his eyes firmly on his desk, pretending to do something. He heard nothing in the room but did not look up. He sensed that someone had not left.  
  
"You're really Harry Potter, aren't you?" asked the voice of Hannah.  
  
Harry refused to look up. "What gives you that idea?"  
  
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Hannah said. Harry looked up, frowning.  
  
"I mean," Hannah said, rather flustered with her substitute teacher's attention. "You know more magic than all the professors combined, you keep talking about 'when you were in school' even though you're certainly not all that much older than some of the students, plus, with the clue you gave us in class, it seems only obvious. Besides," she went on. "Voldemort's back. Why wouldn't Harry Potter be back to beat him?"  
  
"I'm not back to beat him," Harry said. Then he cringed as he realized he had confirmed her suspicions. "I'm just back. It's not like we're connected somehow. I just happened to come back at the same time he did."  
  
"How?" Hannah asked simply. "You say it so casually, but it's never been done before!"  
  
"I don't know," Harry admitted. "I'm just back. That's the most I know."  
  
"That doesn't make any sense at all," Hannah said. "It takes powerful magic to do something like that."  
  
Harry looked at her.  
  
"We're not all as uneducated as this school wants us to be," Hannah said stubbornly. "I've read half the library already, most of them during class. I can easily do a lot of spells, including the one we did today. I want to help."  
  
Harry was forcibly reminded of himself when he was her age. That or Hermione. "I don't even know if I can help," Harry admitted. "No one knows any magic here and you can bet that's what Voldemort's going to use."  
  
"So technology is our weakness," Hannah said. Harry saw an idea spark behind her eyes. "Why don't we use our weakness to our advantage?"  
  
"Easier said than done," Harry said grimly.  
  
Hannah frowned for a moment, thinking hard. "Not to say that we could, but if technology could beat Voldemort, how could it do that?"  
  
Harry looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Technology can't-"  
  
"I know it can't," Hannah said quickly. "But what if it could? What would need to happen for Voldemort to be beaten by our technology?"  
  
"Loose his ability to do magic?" Harry suggested. Suddenly a thought came out of no where. "That's not a bad idea..."  
  
* * *  
  
"Grander," Harry said quickly, stepping into his office where the man was bent double over a piece of parchment.  
  
Grander looked up and blinked twice as if to clear his eyes. "Yes, I think I might have deciphered-"  
  
"Forget that," Harry said stubbornly. "I've had an idea. What if we can manage to make Voldemort lose his powers?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Grander asked.  
  
"Rain Plants," Harry said. "If you touch some of the sap with your bare skin, you loose your powers for 24 hours!"  
  
"Those really aren't very common," Grander said, looking worried.  
  
"Can you get one?" Harry asked seriously.  
  
Grander thought for a moment before nodding. "It won't be cheap or easy, but I'll get one."  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"How did the class go?"  
  
"Good," Harry said. He started to tell Grander about Hannah finding out, but he thought better of it. Grander might panic. "How did the prophecy go?"  
  
"Oh!" Grander looked back to where he was sitting at his desk. He frowned. "Not as well as I had hoped. Now, see here where it says 'The serpent- tongued will destroy the wrong And the good will rise, ready and strong.' I think that's referring to you rising from the grave. The man who summoned the lightning to destroy it said that his master had sent him. I think that's referring to Voldemort."  
  
"Because I'm really ready and strong, aren't I?" Harry asked sarcastically.  
  
"By our standards," Grander said grinning. Suddenly he let out an exasperated sigh. "The first two lines are obvious 'When the legends became myth come to the real, The fate of the world might then be sealed' That's you and Voldemort coming back. The last two lines, however..."  
  
"Say that I'm going to die," Harry said quietly.  
  
"We don't know that!" Grander snapped. "We just haven't had an actual prophecy in so long! I'm not sure what to do."  
  
"I know someone who can help you," Harry said suddenly, coming to a decision.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Dumbledore."  
  
Grander looked at him. "Have you lost your marbles? Dumbledore's dead, remember?"  
  
"Yes," Harry said sincerely. "But I found his portrait."  
  
"Portrait?" Grander said, suddenly interested. "Where?"  
  
"In his office," Harry said. "Behind that gargoyle. I can show you if you like."  
  
"What are we waiting for?" Grander said, stuffing the parchment into his pocket. "Let's go!"  
  
Harry blinked and led the way. He came to a stop in front of the gargoyle. "Dumbledore," Harry said. The gargoyle jumped aside.  
  
Harry and Grander stood on the staircase. Grander was looking around excitedly. When they reached the top, Harry opened the door.  
  
"It's me," Harry said. "And I brought a friend." Grander could no longer contain his excitement. He practically pushed past Harry to see the room that had been lost to time.  
  
"This is amazing!" Grander said. "And look! It's that bird that I saw!"  
  
"Fawkes," Harry explained. "He's Professor Dumbledore's phoenix."  
  
"So this is the phoenix that is the mascot of the Potter house," Grander said in awe.  
  
"Potter house?" said a voice on the wall. Dumbledore was looking at Harry amused.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, embarrassed. "Happened after I was dead."  
  
"And who is this?" Dumbledore asked, looking at Grander.  
  
"Roger Grander, at your service," Grander said, beaming.  
  
"Granger?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Grander," Grander corrected quickly. "That's what I go by as well. I don't like the name Roger."  
  
"Indeed," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "I am Albus Dumbledore, the last Headmaster to use this office."  
  
"So you're Dumbledore!" Grander said, looking exceptionally impressed. "Harry's told me all about you, of course."  
  
"As interesting as this all is," Phineas Nigellus said from his place on the wall. "Perhaps Dumbledore can tell you what he's been meaning to tell you."  
  
Harry looked expectantly at Dumbledore.  
  
"Yes," Dumbledore said. "There is something I need to know first, of course."  
  
Harry waited.  
  
"Is that your original wand?"  
  
Harry dug into his pocket and brought out the wand in question. "Yes."  
  
"How did you get it?"  
  
Harry paused, thinking. "It was in my grave when I woke up."  
  
"Explain what happened when you found it."  
  
"It was hot," Harry said. "So hot I dropped it."  
  
"And then?"  
  
"I put my robe over my hand and picked it up, but it was quite cool when I did that."  
  
"Exactly what I needed to hear," Dumbledore said, nodding. "Harry, a wizard is connected to their wand, you more than most because you not only met the creature who's feather was in your wand, but he knew you and recognized you."  
  
"What does that mean?" Grander asked.  
  
To Harry, however, everything was beginning to make sense. "As long as Fawkes was alive, my wand regenerated with it."  
  
"And when the tail feather caught fire," Dumbledore pressed. "It regenerated, as happens to a phoenix when they die."  
  
"And because of my connection to my wand and Fawkes," Harry said, everything falling into place. "I was brought back as well."  
  
~  
  
A/N: A little more 'Answered Questions' at the beginning of the next chapter, like Harry's age. Anyway, like I said, gotta go! 


	10. The Ministry of Magic

A/N: I corrected a very large error that was in fact much larger than it appeared on the site. I'm not quite sure what happened, but it's better now. I left the rest of the chapter like it is with my author note and reviewer responses. Thanks for pointing it out!!!!!  
  
~  
  
A/N: Oh no.  
  
Gilthas: What?  
  
Me: I...er... *shifts uncomfortably* I don't exactly have many chapter after this one. I might have two. I think. It might only be one. I've been slacking off.  
  
Gilthas: It's probably because you were too busy reading that The Great Hunt book by Robert Jordan.  
  
Me: That was oddly specific.  
  
Gilthas: Right. Anyway...  
  
Me: I'm very cold.  
  
Gilthas: That can come with colder weather.  
  
Me: And our soccer coach had us out there in that terrible weather simply because the basketball girls had some tournament so we couldn't go inside. And I actually had to wear shorts because I didn't have any pants and I have holes in my cleats!  
  
Gilthas: On the plus side, if you get sick, you'll have more time to write and your readers will be happy.  
  
Me: Ug...shut up.  
  
Gilthas: Oh, yes. And I want to point out that in a few more reviews, I'll have 100 for this story!  
  
Me: *squeals* So happy!!!!!! Oh, and I've finished the first chapter to History Repeats Itself. That's my Back to Back Then sequel I'm working on. I'm so excited and I was going to post it along with this one before I realized how close I was to 100. So now I'm waiting! Yay...I'm so happy!  
  
Gilthas: Yes. Now read the story.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 9: The Ministry of Magic  
  
Grander was looking at Harry in bewilderment. "Then why are you 16 and not a baby, as when phoenixes return?"  
  
"I can answer that," Dumbledore's portrait said. "Because you were 16 when you defeated Voldemort. Unless I'm much mistaken, it was Voldemort's power that destroyed your body."  
  
"So, once again," Harry said, struck by the irony of the situation. "Thanks to Voldemort, I have the chance to beat him."  
  
Dumbledore nodded in his portrait. "I must tell you, Harry, that I'm very pleased that you have come. It was quite dull sitting in here with only the same conversations to go over again and again. I was ready for a challenge."  
  
"Luck you," Harry said dully. "I was perfectly content to rot in my grave all day long."  
  
Dumbledore gave him a sympathetic look. Then he raised his eyebrows. "I have a bone to pick with you."  
  
"What?" Harry said, surprised by the unexpected announcement.  
  
"Why did you never come back to Hogwarts after you graduated?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.  
  
"You never once came back. I know. I have my sources..."  
  
Harry shrugged. "I guess it just wasn't the same."  
  
"You never came back?" Grander asked quickly. "I didn't know this. We need to sit down and have a long chat, you and I."  
  
"I rather expected you to become a professor," Dumbledore said, ignoring Grander. "I mean, you certainly seemed to enjoy it when you were working on the DA."  
  
"What's that?" Grander piped up.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, shrugging. "I guess I never thought myself very good."  
  
"You were excellent," Dumbledore said without a trace of doubt. "Every one of your students passed their O.W.L. in Defense with flying colors. That's including Neville Longbottom."  
  
"Who's Neville Longbottom?" Grander asked.  
  
Again he was ignored. Harry shrugged. Then he suddenly shook his head. "No time to talk about that though, because Voldemort's probably planning another attack as we speak!"  
  
Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "I think, perhaps, Harry, that it's about time you took a trip to the Ministry of Magic."  
  
* * *  
  
Harry hugged his cloak tighter around him. It was colder in Edinburgh than at Hogwarts. "Are we there yet?"  
  
Grander grinned at him. "Nope. Of course, we'd already be there if London hadn't been destroyed."  
  
Harry did not grin. He really didn't need a reminder of what had happened in London. "How much further?"  
  
"A little ways," Grander said. "I still don't see why you don't want to take a hover car!"  
  
"I don't trust those things," Harry said, looking suspiciously at one as it zoomed past them on the slightly levitated roadway. "They move too fast. And off the ground. Something about the combination doesn't appeal to me."  
  
"I thought you were a Quidditch star," Grander grumbled.  
  
Harry ignored the comment. "Where are we headed exactly?"  
  
"Here." Grander suddenly stopped. They were in front of a small coffee shop.  
  
"Coffee?" Harry asked blankly. "What happened to tea?"  
  
"Nothing," Grander said, shrugging. "They serve both."  
  
"Let's get inside, out of this cold," Harry said, pushing open the door.  
  
Instantly they were warm. The heat inside the coffee shop was stifling in Harry's think cloak. He pulled it off, grumbling. "When did it get so cold?"  
  
"You've heard about continental drift?" Grander asked, placing his coat on a coat rack that had followed them the moment they had walked inside. "Well England's moved a few more feet north since your day."  
  
"Fun," Harry muttered. "Like I don't have enough problems. Now I have to worry about the Earth's geometric movement."  
  
Grander grinned again. He walked up to the counter where a woman was busily cleaning out a coffee mug. "I'd like four cups of tea, a tall glass of frozen ice, and 7 coffees along with some sugar and milk."  
  
The woman nodded at the odd order without a second look. Harry nudged Grander and muttered, "We don't have time for this!"  
  
Grander snorted. "I know. Just trust me."  
  
The woman pushed two cups of tea over the counter. Grander nodded thankfully and picked up the tray. On it, along with the tea, was two oddly looking sugar packets.  
  
Grander motioned to a table-the only one empty in the room. Harry sat down. Grander sat across from him. He pushed the tea at Harry and muttered, "Just do what I do."  
  
Harry nodded and caught the sugar packet Grander tossed him. Grander opened his sugar packet and poured it into his tea. He stirred it twice muttering "twice" for Harry's benefit and took a drink of his tea. He made a face and motioned for Harry to do the same.  
  
Harry dumped the sugar, stirred twice and took a drink of the tea. He wrinkled his nose. "It could use some milk."  
  
Grander grinned and the next second he stood up. Except that he was still sitting down. He motioned for Harry to get up. Blinking, Harry complied only to see himself still sitting down, talking to Grander. It was rather unnerving. He opened his mouth to ask, but Grander put a finger to his lips.  
  
Looking around, Harry saw that none of the people around him seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary. Clearly they could not be seen.  
  
Grander motioned for him to follow. When they reached the counter, the woman who had served them the tea had put on a pair of glasses. She, apparently, could see them. Harry did not need to ask if the glasses had anything to do with it.  
  
She pointedly looked at them and walked to a side door and opened it, standing to the side.  
  
Harry and Grander walked through and the lady shut the door with a snap. Harry caught a brief glance at a white room before he felt the most blessed sensation of magic all around him and a door appeared before them.  
  
Grander turned the knob and they walked through.  
  
The second they passed, through, Harry felt cold all over and he realized that whatever was making them invisible before was no longer in effect.  
  
They stood outside a very changed Ministry of Magic. The building were made of shining silver or else reflecting glass, giving it a very bright appearance as the light reflected off them. The streets were made of polished marble, very much like those of Gringotts. If there was a single word to describe it, Harry decided, it would simply be shiny. Everything reflected some sort of light.  
  
"Impressed?" Grander asked.  
  
Harry snorted. "Hardly." He looked at Grander suddenly. "I take it only the door's appearance was magical while the rest had something to do with technology."  
  
Grander nodded. "See, the Ministry of Magic isn't in Edinburgh. It's deep underneath London. For convenience purposes, many entrances were made throughout Great Britain. That's very expensive to do by technology, and, I admit, more vulnerable to hackers and such-you know, kids and their computers. So some wizards studied for weeks and combined their magics to create that door we walked through as well as many others."  
  
"How did you do the rest of it then?" Harry asked, though a split second later realized it had been a mistake. Grander was very happy to talk about it and went on to explain all about holographic projectors and the bending of light-smoke and mirrors, as Harry put it.  
  
"So why are we here?" Grander asked for the third time.  
  
"We have to see the Minister of Magic," Harry said. "He's the only one with the resources that can help in our stand against Voldemort."  
  
"Right," Grander said. "To the Big House then."  
  
"The what?"  
  
"The Big House!" Grander said, happy to explain something once more. "That's what we call the House Dedicated to Maintaining Order for the Good of the Wizarding Community at Large. It's easier to say."  
  
"Clearly," Harry muttered. "Which way?"  
  
Grander led. He clearly knew the place back to front. He had apparently grown up around it and kept pointing to things and saying things like, "And that's where Giffin Flormek single-handedly fought off an entire goblin raid in the 2456!"  
  
Harry didn't remember a word and soon stopped listening altogether. He concentrated instead on what he was going to say. From what he had found out about the Ministry of Magic, they held meetings once a month to discuss growing problems as well as successes. From what Harry had heard and seen, there were probably more of the latter in the past 1000 years than could even begin to compare to the former.  
  
Finally they stopped in front of the House Dedicated to Maintaining Order for the Good of the Wizarding Community at Large and found out exactly why it was referred to as the 'Big' house.  
  
It was huge. It towered over everything near it and it proudly proclaimed its name as well as a brief history on a large flashy sign in front.  
  
Harry turned to Grander. "You have this all arranged, right? I mean, they're expecting us at the meeting, right?"  
  
"Probably wouldn't start without us!" Grander said confidently. "After all, you are Harry Potter."  
  
Harry didn't want to say anything to put a dent in Grander's pride, but he honestly didn't believe that many people believe that he truly was who he said he was and would have no problem starting the meeting without him.  
  
He tried to urge Grander forward and finally convinced him that it wouldn't look good for the issue they were trying to discuss if they were 'fashionably late'. They made it just as the doors were shutting to the office. The woman closing it scowled when she saw them coming and didn't appreciate waiting on them. They slipped in as inconspicuously as they could and took a seat at the back of the room.  
  
No one said a word and no one looked at them, though Harry was quite sure that they were aware of their presence. Crocker, the Minister, seemed to be pointedly avoiding looking at them.  
  
Crocker stood up and looked around at the wizards and witches seated there.  
  
"We should begin the meeting this month," he said importantly. "By learning what the community thinks of the current Dark Lord." He sat down and a man rose.  
  
Harry paid close attention as he read his report, including small excerpts from newspaper articles. He was silently pleased that the Minister was getting to the point and not wasting valuable time on worthless things.  
  
When most of the smaller issues were completed, Crocker stood again and the room fell silent. "We have a guest today." Eyes flickered to where Harry and Grander were sitting. "Roger Grander," he paused for a moment as though he couldn't believe he was saying the words. Harry groaned inwardly. "And Harry Potter has come to discuss the growing problem of Lord Voldemort."  
  
Few heard Crocker's final words. It wasn't hard for Harry to guess that Crocker had conveniently forgotten to mention that Harry was even alive. Whispers filled the room and Harry found, once again, people staring unabashed at him as though he were nothing more than a famous painting. He did not miss the disbelieving expressions on almost every face. He scowled inwardly. He should have their respect! After all, he was not sixteen in mind, only in body, and he was far more powerful than any in the room could ever hope to be! He had earned their respect after years of toil and now he was forced to win it back. Crap.  
  
When he stood, however, the room fell silent. Harry had learned that physical appearance did not matter half as much as the air you exuded and he knew how to exude the right kind of air. His eyes lingered on each person individually and each time they shifted uncomfortably in their seats. When he felt he had their full and undivided attention, he began to speak.  
  
"I see many disbelieving expressions in this room," he began. "And I'm not asking you to believe who I am, as long as you listen to what I have to say. Voldemort is back. No amount of wishing and closing your eyes can mask that fact, nor can it make it go away. He's here, and we're unprepared."  
  
He paused here for emphasis and looked around at the faces watching him. He saw that some still looked suspicious while others had their eyes narrowed, watching him intently and actually listening to what he-not the legendary Harry Potter, but the man in front of them-had to say. Among these was Crocker.  
  
"What do you propose we do about it?" A woman asked. She looked timid at speaking up in front of Harry Potter, but when a few people nodded in agreement, she grew in confidence. "I mean, we're doing everything we can! For some reason, our technology isn't standing up! I mean, statistically speaking, we should already have this guy beat!" There were a few papers in front of her and she picked them up, gesturing to them for emphasis.  
  
"That's because you don't know what he can do!" Harry said, his voice rising slightly. "His knowledge of magic exceeds everyone's-including mine!" There was scattered muttering at this. "We have to understand our enemy's strengths and weaknesses before we can ever hope to counter them!"  
  
"Excuse me," a man said. Harry got a bad vibe off him-and quickly blinked as the word 'vibe' came to his mind. He could see simply by looking at him that he would be trouble. "But you speak as though you have any more magical education than any of us."  
  
Of course. Harry recognized at once that this man was trying to discredit him. No one would believe anything Harry said if they thought him an unreliable source. Harry would have to tread carefully.  
  
Unfortunately, even as those words went through Harry's mind, other thoughts came into his mind. Indignation would be a great example of one. Before he was consciously aware of what was happening, his younger body took advantage of the situation. He drew himself up to his full height and was not at all put out that he was considerable shorter than all the others in the room. "What are you implying?"  
  
"Nothing!" The man, seeing he had the floor, stood up, looking at those around him for support. "I just mean, you've had the same amount of magical education as the rest of us!"  
  
Harry tried very hard to keep his younger body under control and he could see that the effort was showing on his face. Grander was looking at him concerned. Finally Harry thought he could keep his horrible temper in check.  
  
"I have had a far greater extent of magical education that every single person in this room combined."  
  
"I doubt that," the man said, a small smile finding its way to his lips. "I mean, the Minister of Magic himself is here!"  
  
Before Harry knew what he was doing, Harry flicked his hand and the man fell forcibly into his chair. Harry couldn't understand what was going on. He had never lost control like that since... He took a deep breath and tried to continue.  
  
"I am Harry James Potter." Harry didn't have to look around to see that he had the room's full and undivided attention. "I was born a thousand years ago and I have come back to aid in the struggle against Voldemort. Implying things about me that are not true are not only fruitless, but they hurt your cause." Again that rebellious feeling came back. "Are you willing to die, Sir? Are you willing to sacrifice everything you care about because you refuse to open your eyes to the truth?"  
  
The man was looking at Harry in disbelief. He tried to stand again, but Harry's magic kept him firmly planted in his seat. "I'm not saying that this isn't happening!" He retorted from his seat. "I'm just saying that we have to reason to take advice from a sixteen-year-old!"  
  
"If I am merely a sixteen-year-old," Harry said quietly. "Then why are you unable to stand?"  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Grander winced and did not know why until a small smirk came to the face of the man.  
  
"Do you honestly think simple tricks such as this are going to convince us of anything? A five-year-old knows how to operate gravity machines!"  
  
Harry's frown deepened. He felt stupid for not anticipating something like this. Technology seemed to have the ability to do most of the little things magic was able to do. He waved his hand again and the man stood up very suddenly. He must have been straining against the magic hard to rise from his seat so quickly. He could not get his feet under him because of the sudden change and he fell back down, halfway missing his chair and falling to the floor. Harry saw some amused looks around the room but he felt like doing anything but smiling at the moment.  
  
He turned now, speaking only to the Minister who did not smile and was looking at Harry with a very calculating expression.  
  
"I am not here to convince you of who I am. I am here because you need help, and I have help to give."  
  
The man opened his mouth to speak, but the Minister said sharply. "Quiet, Vertim." The man closed his mouth and climbed back into his chair, glaring daggers at Harry.  
  
"What do you propose we do?" Crocker asked, echoing the first question. "Surely you did not come here to impress upon us the importance of fighting."  
  
"I-" Harry began. Sudden he was cut off. The very ground beneath his feet trembled. "Oh bloody hell," Harry muttered. Grander looked at him, an almost amused expression flitting across his features.  
  
"What's going on?" the annoying man asked.  
  
"It looks to me," Harry said calmly. "As though Voldemort has brought the battle to us."  
  
Crocker snapped into action. "Evacuation tactics. Now. Get the people out of here."  
  
The woman next to him nodded and, moving quickly, she slid a panel out of the wall and pressed down on the white space beneath it. Immediately an ultrasonic sound came from all around. Harry winced though everyone else in the room did not seem to notice.  
  
"Will you fight?" Harry asked Crocker. "Or will I be forced to stand alone?"  
  
"I will defend my people," Crocker said harshly. "Do not think me a coward!"  
  
"I would never imply it," Harry said. The Minister had just raised himself a few notches in Harry's eyes.  
  
"Grander," Harry turned to the only other person in the room other than himself and Crocker. The rest had evacuated. "I want you to go to Hogwarts. Tell them what is happening and see if there are any powerful enough to help."  
  
Grander nodded and left the room, stumbling somewhat as the earth shook.  
  
"Do you know any magic?" Harry asked Crocker as he walked up to a wall that he knew would lead to the outside.  
  
"I was Head Boy at Hogwarts," Crocker said.  
  
"But do you know any magic?" Harry asked again. Crocker opened his mouth to protest but the next second, Harry pushed hard against the wall, yelling, "Reppoussi!"  
  
The entire wall flew away beneath his fingers. Harry fell forward a little. He had pushed too hard. He shook his head; sometimes his body was hard to control.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Crocker asked. "It'll lead him straight to us! What about the element of surprise?"  
  
"I think he's done enough surprising for one day," Harry said.  
  
"That was stupid!" Crocker said. The shaking grew harder.  
  
"Do you want him to come for us or for those people out there who can't defend themselves?"  
  
That shut Crocker up. He glared at Harry a moment before turned to the wall- or absence of, as was the case.  
  
"It's not working," Harry said, his anger flaring despite himself. "We have to go out."  
  
"We're six stories up!" Crocker protested.  
  
"All the more reason to get out," Harry said. "We're vulnerable in a building. Something could fall on top of us."  
  
"Couldn't have though about that before you blew the wall out, could you?" Crocker muttered under his breath.  
  
Harry walked to the very edge of the floor where the wall used to stand. He pulled out his wand and twirling it in quick circles in the air, muttered, "Dans!"  
  
A light breeze ruffled his hair before turning into a powerful gust. Before Crocker could say anything, Harry grabbed the man's arm and together they stepped off the only support they had and into the wind.  
  
The next second Harry felt he might hurl, but he managed to keep a straight face (as well as his breakfast). The wind whipped them along before settling them onto the ground. Crocker stumbled but Harry kept his feet. The next second he was running. Crocker had to run full out to keep up with him. Harry was vaguely aware that Crocker would be completely winded when they reached Voldemort and his followers, but he knew he could not afford to rest. He heard screams as it was.  
  
After several minutes of coming to a dead end at every turn, Harry turned angrily to Crocker. "Where are they?"  
  
"It sounds..." Crocker said, taking a deep breath. "Like they're...at the hospital..."  
  
"How do we get there?" Harry practically yelled. He was finding it increasingly difficult to hold his temper in check with so little help coming and the odds for them winning was little to none.  
  
"Follow..." Crocker said, still breathing heavily.  
  
Harry shook his head. "No time. No offense, but you're too slow. Which way?"  
  
Crocker managed to choke out directions and Harry was running before he finished his last word. Harry found himself rather winded himself when he reached the place Crocker had indicated. A stitch in his side was throbbing and for some reason, the irrelevant thought of, 'Boy, I'm out of shape' flickered through his head.  
  
It took him a minute to catch his breath before fully taking in to scene before him. Fireballs erupted from wands. Voldemort was standing behind him, looking at the scene before him. Harry's mouth fell open, sure, they were slightly more advanced in magic than the others, but those Death Eaters shouldn't have the power to shoot fireballs! That was rather advanced dark magic!  
  
He gritted his teeth, knowing he would be outmatched, and yet knowing that he couldn't do nothing!  
  
"Voldemort!" Harry yelled. His voice echoed loudly and Harry dimly thought that his temper might have accidentally put some form of unintentional magic into the situation.  
  
The fireballs stopped. Voldemort turned. His face showed every appearance of cruel delight.  
  
"Harry Potter!" Voldemort cried. "How good of you to join us! I had so hoped that you would!"  
  
"Is that so?" Harry said. He was walking fast now, not bothering to shout. "But I'm guessing that you were forced to give some of your powers to your minions in order for them to perform such magic and you're not at the height of your powers."  
  
Voldemort laughed. It was a high, cruel sound that stopped Harry in his tracks and rose up the hairs on the back of his neck.  
  
"Is that what you think, Little Harry? Because I want you to be honest with me! I mean, if I know that's what you really think, it will be so much more fun to mock you for your ignorance!"  
  
The Death Eaters formed ranks around their master. Harry could not see their faces for it seemed Voldemort had opened up a fresh box of Death Eater masks. Voldemort motioned for one of them to move forward and one did, walking with all confidence.  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed at his casual attitude. He had the horrible suspicion that Voldemort had done something else to make his life harder.  
  
The Death Eater lifted up his mask and dropped it to the ground. He laughed at Harry's unmoving expression. When he stopped, he was smirking-a smirk that sparked something horrible in Harry's memory.  
  
"What's wrong, Potter?" The man spat. "Do you not recognize me with my new face? I can assure you that it is me, however. Surely you remember me! I mean, how could you forget the husband of whose cousin murdered your wonderful godfather?"  
  
"Malfoy," Harry said, hatred in his voice-not for his godfather, who had in fact come back a year or two after he had disappeared behind the veil, but for the man who did not know this and attempted to use it as a weapon against Harry.  
  
"Very good!" Malfoy said. "I always knew you were a bright boy! But, unlike you, I have a new face now. "But, it would appear, like you, I am several years younger. You still look sixteen!"  
  
"I am," Harry said, not being able to hide the anger in his voice.  
  
"Indeed," Malfoy said. Suddenly his face-though is was not the face of Lucius Malfoy-brightened. "But don't let me steal all the glory of the moment! We have more friends! Many more who I'm sure are simply dying," Harry did not miss his emphasis on the word. "To say hello!"  
  
"I bet," Harry muttered, though not loud enough for anyone to hear him.  
  
"Enough."  
  
It was a simple command and the effects were nothing more than could be expected, though anyone who did not know of the power of the man who said it might have laughed at Malfoy's willingness to obey.  
  
Harry did not laugh, however. Harry did not move.  
  
"How did you do it?" Harry asked, though he though he knew the answer.  
  
"It was a simple matter, really," Voldemort said, a smirk curling his lips. "All I had to do was steal the soul of one man and give his body to another soul."  
  
"How simple," Harry said sarcastically. "And how simple it is for you to speak of murder."  
  
"Come now, Harry!" Voldemort said and Harry's anger flared. How dare he speak to him as though they were friends? "You should know it's not murder!"  
  
"Of course," Harry said. "You only stole their soul. I mean, they're breathing, right? So why should it matter?"  
  
"It doesn't," Voldemort said. He was no longer smiling. "You're still the fool that you were before, Potter! You talk as though that man whose soul I stole was significant! He's nothing! He's a stepping stone on my way to power."  
  
"And what am I?"  
  
"You," Voldemort said, his lips curling into that awful smile. "Are an obstacle, waiting patiently to be conquered."  
  
"I was never really known for patience, Voldemort," Harry said. "That surprises me, because wasn't it you who told me to know your enemy?"  
  
"Why," Voldemort said, his soft voice ringing with triumph. "Do you think I attacked the hospital?"  
  
Harry's glare sharpened. He noticed the Death Eaters on either side of Voldemort shifting slightly. They were waiting for Voldemort to attack, Harry realized. Harry's was ready, waiting for the moment when Voldemort would send a spell at him. But he didn't.  
  
"I knew that the cries of the dying would lead you to me," Voldemort continued. Why didn't he attack? Harry's wand rotated slowly in his hand, ready and waiting. But still Voldemort did nothing. Why did he hesitate?  
  
Something popped into Harry's head at that moment. It was an idea, a stupid idea. An overconfident idea. An impossible idea. Not Voldemort. Surely not Voldemort...  
  
"I am here," Harry said quietly. "And still you do not attack. Do you wait for reinforcements? Or perhaps there is something else holding you back."  
  
Harry could tell by Voldemort's expression that he had struck home. He was telling Harry without words what Harry was reluctant to believe. Voldemort...Voldemort was scared.  
  
~  
  
keebler-elmo: There's going to be some major power flaunting in the next chapter. I read and reread Voldemort and Dumbledore's battle so I could get an idea of how very powerful wizards fight. Bum. Bum. Bum!!!!  
  
Authoress: It's finally here!!!  
  
sab: Yay!  
  
sara*magic: Ga!!!! Don't make things complicated!!! I can't have Harry going out on me in the middle of it! Let's just say...he's fighting for all that he worked for before he died. Yes. That makes sense, right? Oh, about the sequel, it's not moving as fast as I want it to. 3003 is rather keeping my attention at the moment. Sorry! I'm not quitting on it, of course! It's just not moving as fast as I want it to. Sirius? You honestly think I could leave him out?  
  
The Mystical Elf: Updated!  
  
The Vampire Story Hunter: Eh. I'm not sure how long phoenixes live, but then again, I'm not sure how exactly they die. I reckon they can live that long...  
  
dancing-on-ice: Thanks a lot!!!  
  
Sami: Long hard hours racking my brain. Either that or it was rather spontaneous. Yes, I think it was the latter. I was just typing one day and I thought that my original idea was stupid, and I suddenly thought, 'Hey, what if...'  
  
stupidx: I like your name. Very spiffy. Thanks a lot!  
  
linky2: Thanks!  
  
star estrella: Thanks! I like being original. It makes me feel unique. Yes. Since they're almost the same thing...  
  
Siripiritus: Love the enthusiasm!!!  
  
Darkmoon Fleur: Next chapter or next story? *ponders a moment* *shrugs* Thanks!  
  
insanechildfanfic: Thanks!  
  
ender2000: You might have to wait a while for that if I decided to do it at all. Yes, I'm being cryptic on purpose. Bwahahahaha!!!!! I just don't want to give anything away!  
  
Lady Arwen of Rivendell: Hello, Lady Arwen. How art thou sir Aragorn? Yeah, I have a Lord of the Rings fanatic as a friend. Anyway, I was thinking of maybe killing off the headmistress or something and letting Harry be Headmaster when the whole thing is over. You know, if I decided not to kill him...empty threat, I know...  
  
~  
  
Me: Yay! That's done! Next chapter definitely spills some blood. I think. It might just be painful. Anyway, bad things happen.  
  
Gilthas: I'm sure everyone's quite sure of that. Unless you do something stupid like make Voldemort forget that he left the oven on and have to run.  
  
Me: *laughs nervously* Would I do that? 


	11. The Battle

A/N: Tadda! It's here!  
  
Gilthas: And it's your birthday.  
  
Me: Yes! I'm an old lady now...  
  
Gilthas: No you're not.  
  
Me: I know, but my hair's already blue.  
  
Gilthas: That would be hair dye.  
  
Me: Whatever. I was very happy this morning because my wonderful family made me breakfast and I thought, 'well, maybe I should post'. So I did.  
  
Gilthas: And everyone loves you for it.  
  
Me: Yes, and I want reviews! Send them now!  
  
Gilthas: At least let them read first!  
  
Me: *sigh* Whatever. You have 5 minutes starting...now.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 10: The Battle  
  
The words sounded stupid, even in Harry's own head. And yet, Voldemort still did not attack. Harry was forced to believe them—as ridiculous as they might sound. Harry had defeated him twice before now, after all, but still...  
  
The Death Eaters seemed to sense that something was wrong.  
  
"Master?" asked a female voice. Harry could guess whose spirit resided in that body.  
  
"Silence," Voldemort said. As if covering up for his lapse, Voldemort looked behind Harry. "I see you came alone."  
  
"Excellent observation, Voldemort," Harry said coldly. "I suppose I didn't have time to steal someone's soul."  
  
"Apparently," Voldemort said with that smirk. "But enough talking, Potter. I'm sure you didn't come to watch me harm innocents."  
  
"I've been waiting," Harry said calmly. "Come now, Voldemort, fear doesn't become you. Though, to be fair, neither does anything else."  
  
Voldemort's face contorted in anger. Again, Harry was surprised at how well he's hit the mark. He had never even considered that Voldemort could fear anything!  
  
Voldemort raised his wand and shot a jet of light at Harry. Harry threw up his shield and the spell bounced harmlessly off. Harry's shield lowered and he looked at Voldemort.  
  
"You call that a curse? I thought you fancied yourself the most powerful wizard of all time."  
  
Voldemort shot three curses at Harry, Harry threw up his shield and it deflected one, but he felt that his shield would not hold for three. Grabbing his cloak, he twisted it and appeared on the opposite side of Voldemort's forces. Harry flicked his wand hard as though trying to squash a particularly irritating fly. His spell was so powerful that it blinded most of the people in the area. Harry did not flinch and was well aware that Voldemort had vanished long before the spell hit him.  
  
A few Death Eaters yelled in horror, but Harry did not listen to them. He did not see what was in front of him. He was concentrating with all his might. He would know exactly where Voldemort appeared.  
  
There.  
  
Harry dodged to the side as Voldemort's spell nearly hit him. He made two quick slashing movements in the air and a jet of what looked like water flew straight and Voldemort and wrapped around him with the stickiness of glue, tightening slowly. Voldemort shimmered eerily for a moment before Harry's spell suddenly rebounded upon him and Voldemort vanished.  
  
Harry placed up his shield. The different and rarer type of shield lapped up Harry's spell as though it was nothing more than a drop of water falling into a pool.  
  
Harry saw the spell coming out of the corner of his eye. Voldemort's Death Eaters had entered the fray. He twisted to the side and the Avada Kedavra Curse passed him harmlessly by.  
  
Harry grabbed his cloak again and, with a twist, vanished. He appeared seconds later behind the Death Eaters. He cut a line through the air with his wand and a thin golden line appeared there as though Harry had been drawing with a pencil. He pushed forward in the air with his free hand and the line sped forward, growing as it did so, and, as if it was a large string of rope, it knocked the line of Death Eaters off their feet and to the ground. His cloak swirled again and Harry was suddenly standing far down the street.  
  
He watched the Death Eaters get to their feet looking wildly around for their attacker.  
  
Voldemort was no where to be seen. Harry tensed. He much preferred having his enemies where he could see them.  
  
Suddenly his feet were glued to the ground and he looked down, horrified. Volts upon volts of electricity rushed through his body. He yelled loudly and the next second it was gone. Harry wrenched his feet off the ground where they had been magically stuck and, on impulse, floated several inches off the ground. The next second he saw the ground spark with the second electrical current that would have caused considerable damage.  
  
Seeing himself vulnerable to his invisible opponent, Harry twisted his cloak and vanished, only to reappear down a side street. He looked hesitantly around the corner and saw the Death Eaters forming ranks, trying to discover where he was.  
  
"Still hiding, are we, Potter?"  
  
Harry whirled around and found himself face to face with Voldemort.  
  
"Speak for yourself," Harry growled.  
  
"Ah yes," Voldemort said, smirking. "But I am not the 'noble' one."  
  
"That's right!" Harry said in a mocking voice. "You're the deranged psycho killer!"  
  
"I'm touched that you remember, even after all these years," Voldemort said mockingly.  
  
"Yours is not a face one so easily forgets," Harry said in all honesty.  
  
"Indeed."  
  
At exactly the same time, Harry and Voldemort whipped their wands. Each yelled a different spell and they hit in midair, forming that string of golden light. Voldemort cursed and, with a twist of his cloak, tried to disappear.  
  
Harry pulled hard on his wand, forcing Voldemort back to stand before him. Voldemort pulled hard the other way. It went on for several minute with neither making headway before—  
  
BAM  
  
The string of light exploded, blowing Harry and Voldemort both backwards. So unexpected was the blast that neither had time to summon a spell to mind that would save them.  
  
With a loud 'boom', they flew backward, landing hard on the pavement. Harry put his arms over his head to shield himself from the pieces of concrete and building that had blown apart in the sudden and unexpected bursting of the magic...  
  
* * *  
  
"Is he okay?"  
  
"I don't like the looks of this..."  
  
"Who is he?"  
  
"I don't know! I've never seen him before..."  
  
"Did somebody call the hospital?"  
  
"You dolt! They had to evacuate the hospital because of the attack!"  
  
"Then send him to Hogwarts or something! My God! Did you see him fight off the Dark Lord?"  
  
"I was right here next to you the whole time! Of course I saw it!"  
  
Harry blurrily opened his eyes. The world spun weirdly and he quickly closed them. Two people looked down at him.  
  
"He's waking up!"  
  
"Hello? Can you here me? Are you okay?"  
  
Harry groaned. His entire body felt rather broken. It took him a minute to realize he was lying on top of something hard and unyielding. He tried to roll off it, but one of the people held him back.  
  
"Don't move! You're really hurt!"  
  
Whatever he was lying on was distinctly uncomfortable. Harry tried to communicate with the man, to tell him that part of his pain was due to the very hard and rather pointed item beneath him, but his tongue didn't seem to work properly and his limbs weren't quite responding as they should.  
  
"He looks like he's still in pain," came the whispered word of one of the people.  
  
"We have to do something," agreed the other. "We're going to try to take you to Hogwarts," he said in an unnecessarily loud voice to Harry. "Maybe they can do something for you there. We're not sure—"  
  
"Have you got him?" asked a voice suddenly. It stirred something in Harry's memory, but he couldn't quite place it in his state.  
  
Pounding footsteps shook the ground beneath Harry, making that block of whatever was sticking in his back even worse. He groaned again and tried to open his eyes.  
  
The world had stopped spinning somewhat and he saw a man lean down to regard him. "I'm here, Harry," he said. "I'm going to take you to the Hospital Wing, okay? You're going to have to bear with me. Can you walk? You can just shake or nod."  
  
Slowly, feeling as though his head weighed more than the rest of him combined, Harry managed something that could be interpreted as a negative.  
  
"How long has he been sitting here?" the man asked of the first two people.  
  
"Not that long," said the one man. "But that other guy..."  
  
Even through Harry's pain clouded mind, he was suddenly very attentive. He reached out a very heavy arm and grabbed the man's wrist. "Is he over there? What happened to him?"  
  
The man looked horrified that Harry should move so and he tried to untangle Harry's fist around his arm, but Harry held stubbornly on.  
  
"Those other men," he said. "In the black cloaks. They thought you were dead. They took the other man and they disappeared!"  
  
Harry let go of the man's wrist and fell back to the ground. He hit the piece he was apparently lying on and flinched horribly.  
  
"He's laying on something!" said the other man quickly. He lifted Harry gently up and removed the rather large piece of cement that had been hampering Harry's rest. Harry lay back down, suddenly aware just how comfortable it was without that piece there...  
  
"Don't you go out on me," said the newest man quickly, shaking Harry and making him groan. "You two, help. We need to get him out of here."  
  
"Yes, Minister," said the man. "How?"  
  
The newest man frowned slightly before snapping his fingers excitedly. "I have an idea!"  
  
Harry blinked to see a wand pointed at him. His eyes widened slightly and even through his slightly slow mind, he realized that even if this was a friend, his magic might not work properly.  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa!"  
  
Harry felt himself lift off the ground. He felt himself start to panic before pushing it aside and realizing that he probably did not have strength to struggle if he wanted to.  
  
The new man was next to him, oddly close before Harry remembered again that he was floating. "I told you I was Head Boy, didn't I?" the man said, smiling very big.  
  
The next moment Harry's eyes widened as he felt himself falling. He saw the man's horrorstruck face before everything went black...  
  
* * *  
  
Harry awoke in a very white place. He blinked and wondered briefly why the entire world looked blurry. He groaned and turned his head, which seemed oddly heavy, as saw his glasses sitting on the bedside table.  
  
Closing his eyes because seeing and trying to move at the same time really didn't seem to be an option, he reached blindly over to the table and felt around for his glasses, putting them on when he found them.  
  
The white blur around him took shape. He was in a very white room. His bed sheets were white and his pillow was white and the walls and ceiling around him were white. Putting his arms under him, he pushed himself into a sitting position.  
  
He was slightly dizzy, but he did not sit down. He wondered vaguely for a moment where he was before the previous day came back to him.  
  
The white door opened.  
  
"Harry Potter!" said a woman. "It's good to see you awake! I was beginning to think you'd sleep the day through!"  
  
"Where am I?" Harry asked, his tongue feeling rather big and awkward in his mouth.  
  
"The hospital wing, Harry Potter," the woman said promptly. "The hospital at the Ministry was destroyed so you were brought here. You've got some nasty wounds there, Mr. Potter."  
  
Harry noticed vaguely that she was saying his name far more than was normal. He shook it aside though (mentally, definitely not physically) and tried to comprehend better exactly where he was. The hospital wing. Right. At Hogwarts.  
  
Suddenly he sat up straighter as his unusually slow thoughts came around. "What happened at the Ministry?"  
  
"Why, you scared them off, to be sure, Mr. Potter," the woman said. "The people in the masks took the other man you were fighting and left with him, leaving you. I suppose they thought you were dead, Harry—Mr. Potter."  
  
Harry nodded slowly. He remembered vaguely someone telling him the same thing. "And what about the people in the hospital?"  
  
"Only a few died, Mr. Potter," the woman sniffed. "You managed to distract them long enough for us to get quite a few evacuated, though. Of course, you clearly paid the price."  
  
"Clearly," Harry muttered. His head didn't feel quite as heavy as it did and his arms seemed to be responding rather faster than before.  
  
"I was hoping, Harry Potter," the woman continued. "That you could tell us something of what occurred out there. What was that explosion?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "Voldemort's wand and my wand...it's rather a long and complicated story. Think of it this way, the magic got stretched a little too far."  
  
"Magic caused that terrible explosion?"  
  
Harry nodded, making his head spin a little. "I need to go," he said suddenly, trying to move through the pain. Dimly, in the back of his mind, he realized that he shouldn't be hurting quite as much as he was.  
  
"Oh dear!" the woman said. "Mr. Potter, you shouldn't be getting up! Your condition is far too serious!"  
  
Harry shook his head stubbornly. "Just give me a potion or something. I'll be alright."  
  
He looked up when the woman didn't say anything.  
  
"A potion," Harry repeated. "Nothing too advanced. I just need something to make my head stay above my feet."  
  
"Potions?" the woman repeated, quite blankly. "For healing?"  
  
Harry felt his mouth open slightly despite himself. "Yes," he said slowly. "What else does one use for healing?"  
  
"Bandages?" the woman asked in what Harry was sure she thought was a helpful manner.  
  
Harry rubbed his eyes wearily. "Bandages don't help when someone breaks a leg, do they? What do you do if someone breaks a leg?"  
  
"How would someone break a leg?" the woman asked blankly.  
  
"An arm then," Harry offered.  
  
"How would anyone break any bones?" the woman asked. "Unless it's intentional, there's really not any way to break a bone. If they do, they're sent to the hospital."  
  
"I thought this was the hospital wing."  
  
"It is!" the woman assured him. "But it's only a school wing! You know, for minor injuries. For bigger things they go straight to the hospital at the Ministry!"  
  
"And where are they now that there is no hospital at the Ministry?" Harry asked patiently.  
  
"They brought most of them here," the woman admitted. "But the doctors came too! I mean, I don't have that much medical training. Enough to be a doctor, I mean."  
  
"You mean a healer?" Harry asked.  
  
"Healer?" the woman asked. "What is that supposed to be?"  
  
"Never mind," Harry said quickly. "Then what do you do if someone gets sick?"  
  
The woman now had a very confused look on her face. She opened her mouth to respond when suddenly the door opened. Harry looked up to see the Minister of Magic standing there.  
  
"Minister!" the woman said gratefully. "Perhaps you could answer Harry Potter's questions. I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what it is he's talking about."  
  
"Certainly," Crocker said quickly. The woman exited hurriedly. Crocker did not move from his place in the doorway.  
  
"Come on in," Harry said with a slight grin on his face. "I don't bite."  
  
"Of course," Crocker said quickly, coming in and shutting the door behind him. He stood beside Harry's bed. Harry felt very awkward craning his neck up so far to see him. Crocker seemed to realize his discomfort and pulled up a chair.  
  
"You'll have to forgive the nurse. I see she's still calling you Harry Potter. She was beside herself when she realized who you were. We didn't tell her, you see. Inevitably she saw your scar and figured it out for herself."  
  
Harry listened quietly. Seeing that Harry was not responding, he continued. "I'm afraid you're rather something of a famous name, not to be confused with a face. When she found out who you were, it's always been your full name, like we learned it in the history books. You're Harry Potter. She's been practicing for when you woke up, trying to call you Mr. Potter. That's what Grander calls you anyway."  
  
Harry nodded and immediately regretted it when his head hurt.  
  
Crocker sighed. "I'm afraid we don't have much in the form of medication to give you. We just don't get a lot of headaches. Or disease. Or broken bones."  
  
"I can't imagine why not," Harry said sarcastically. "Oh, I've seen how you've mutilated Quidditch."  
  
Crocker chuckled. "That was long before my time, let me assure you."  
  
Harry nodded. Then he became suddenly serious. "How long have I been in here?"  
  
"A week," Crocker answered promptly. "Five days, that is. A working week."  
  
"Perhaps," Harry said quietly. "You can give me a more detailed account of what happened out there."  
  
Crocker sighed. This was clearly the part he had come to tell Harry about, and yet he was reluctant to do so at the same time.  
  
"I followed after you," he began. "I was rather behind, you see. I'm not as young as I used to be."  
  
Harry smiled at the irony.  
  
"I arrived when that Death Eater had stepped forward. I vaguely realized the man. He's committed several more severe criminal charges, like burglary." Crocker sighed. "I suppose there are always a few bad eggs."  
  
"He wasn't the same person," Harry began. "He was—"  
  
"Lucius Malfoy," Crocker said promptly. He smiled slightly at the look Harry gave him. "I did my research when I found out exactly who it was we were dealing with. Malfoy is mentioned several times."  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"And still no Dumbledore?" Harry had to ask.  
  
"You mean the headmaster?"  
  
Harry's mouth dropped open slightly. He couldn't believe his ears! "Yes, Professor Dumbledore. That's the one."  
  
Crocker smiled at Harry's surprise. "The history files at the Ministry are far more complete than those you will find on the shelves. I'm afraid your own achievements outshone Dumbledore's in the eyes of the public. Gradually, over the passage of time, the entries on Dumbledore became passing paragraphs, which gradually turned into passing comments which were soon left out altogether as your stories were added to and some of your faults were removed and you became this shining figure in history—the strongest of the strong. He who needed no help. He who could defeat the Dark Lord Voldemort and any other that happened to be thrown your way. The Dumbledore as you know him became extinct. I suppose that happens sometimes in history. Time takes its toll on all things."  
  
"Except perhaps Hogwarts," Harry said, staring around at the still perfect walls surrounding him.  
  
"Except Hogwarts," Crocker agreed.  
  
There was silence again. Suddenly, Crocker burst out, "What happened out there?"  
  
Harry blinked in surprise, rather taken aback. "I was hoping perhaps you could tell me."  
  
Crocker waved it away. "You probably already know. The Death Eaters took you for dead and they didn't exactly have time to check a pulse. They took Voldemort and Disapparated. Then those two men came along and found you. I found you slightly afterward and after a failed attempt at a hovering charm, I finally made you float (and you were completely unconscious by that time) and we brought you here. Now tell me what you did! Out there! Against Voldemort!"  
  
"There's not much to tell, really," Harry said, not wanting to go into detail. "A few charms and a few hexes I suppose."  
  
"A few?" Crocker asked. "I was Head Boy in my day and I struggled through that hovering charm! That was magic as advanced as anything I've ever seen!"  
  
Harry smiled slightly as the man admitted it. He supposed he should perhaps look at this man in a new light. "I was a few years ahead of my peers when it came to Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"And you're clearly a few centuries ahead of us," Crocker said, still looking amazed. "In all my years as Minister! I knew he knew some magic that we didn't, but I had no idea!"  
  
"I've been trying to tell you," Harry said pointedly.  
  
"I know!" Crocker said. "I wasn't listening. I'm a horrible Minister. But to be honest," he looked rather embarrassed. "I wasn't sure whether or not to believe you were the famous Harry Potter or if you were just making things up! No offense," he said quickly. "But you didn't exactly seem like the Harry Potter I've always imagined. I mean, at the time you didn't. You reminded me more of a kid trying to skip out on doing homework."  
  
Harry grinned at the words. "About this time of my life? Yeah, that's pretty much what I was."  
  
"See?" Crocker said unexpectedly. "That's what I'm talking about! The Harry Potter you learn about in the history books (while it has no mention of what your actual grades were) always made you out to be a top student! Head Boy... Prefect..." Crocker sighed. "But I must sound like a child getting to meet his superhero. It's just, I don't know what to do! There's no positive precedent to this!"  
  
Harry looked Crocker firmly in the eye and said, "Then let's make one."  
  
~  
  
Me: Whoo Whoo. Yeah, I wasn't sure how to end the chapter and I hope it's not corny.  
  
Gilthas: It's fine.  
  
Me: You're only saying that because it's my birthday.  
  
Gilthas: If I don't know that and you don't know that, then it isn't true.  
  
Me: Right...responses to reviews!  
  
~  
  
mashimaromadness: *hides* Please don't hurt me! It's a birthday present...er...sorry. I went all Gollum for a moment. Thank you so much for reviewing all my chapters!!!!  
  
Alyssa: 'Dye?' What, my hair?  
  
linky2: *blink* Done.  
  
Sea-Turtles: Yeah, I'm trying to get Harry out of the small-child-who-needs- everything-explained-to-him role. Not that that's bad, but he only looks 16 and actually he's a lot older, he was more knowledgeable on magic in his time so he can figure out a few things by himself.  
  
gooofas: Thank you so much! I didn't notice! My computer screwed up when I was trying to post the first time so I did some stuff to it and I think that part didn't download or something! Thank you for pointing it out! I never would have noticed otherwise!  
  
Darkmoon Fleur: I hope it lived up to expectations! I kind of like big battle scenes even if I'm not very good at them. Actually I was halfway through Harry's meeting at the Ministry before I thought, 'Boy, this is really boring. Let's bring Voldemort in'. :)  
  
The Vampire Story Hunter: I'm so glad! I hope this one was as good!  
  
star estrella: Happiness factor maximum! I'm a dork, I know and accept this.  
  
Devonny Rose: Harry wiped the floor with Voldemort in every previous battle they ever had! Heck, I'd be scared of him too!  
  
sara*magic: Twitchy, eh? Oh, I've put some thought into your last review and I'm doing something with it in (I think) the next chapter. Harry's got to have something to fight for, right? Plus I give some hints of random things. All squished into one... Pants are the same things as trousers like sweaters are the same things as jumpers. Well, their not in America, but they are in Britain. It's good to have a Harry Potter obsessed Mum. She orders interesting things off the internet, like the British versions of all the Harry Potter books...  
  
john: thanks!!! I have a friend who is a MWPP fanatic and I want to poke her some times, but her stories are good and she used to not like Harry Potter half as much as Lord of the Rings, so I'll take what I can get.  
  
insanechildfanfic: Thanks! Er...I'm not sure if I've asked this before, but do you like fanfictions with insane children, or are you an in insane child who likes to read fanfictions? :)  
  
sab: Done and done.  
  
The Mystical Elf: Yay! I'm glad I got to bring more Voldemort into play. Most of the times he's more like an evilly looming shadow that you keep turning around quickly, expecting to see, but he's never there. Yeah, I'm a little off.  
  
Liz: Updated! The sequels coming soon, though not as quickly as I had hoped...  
  
gam: Thanks for telling me! The problem is fixed. I'm sorry about any inconvenience. Boy, I sound like a sales person...  
  
Rhinemjr: Wouldn't we all? I don't think there's honestly a soul out there who dreams night and day of going through everything Harry has to go through. Well, there probably is, but they're probably really weird...  
  
Snizzle: Fixed!  
  
Prd2bAmerican18: Updated!  
  
Authoress: Thanks!  
  
keebler-elmo: No summoning, but there's sort of Fawkes. I mean, Harry and Voldemort's wands connected again, right?  
  
HongMing: If I got my butt kicked every time I went up against a person, I would try avoidance. Unfortunately, Voldemort isn't that fortunate. He doesn't have many options and he doesn't like the ones he has...  
  
~  
  
Me: Okay, I'm hungry now. See you guys next time!!! 


	12. Hinted Clues

Chapter 11: Hinted Clues  
  
~  
  
A/N: Chapter dedicated to sara*magic for pointing out the little hole in my story that this chapter attempts to correct.  
  
Gilthas: That's nice of you.  
  
Me: Yeah, she sent in a review that was like, 'what is Harry fighting for?' At that point I was like, "Crap!" so I wrote this chapter. It just kind of seemed like the right time to bring it up.  
  
Gilthas: And you forgot.  
  
Me: *hit with newspaper* Shut up you!  
  
Gilthas: *grins* Don't worry, happens all the time...to you.  
  
Me: *glares*  
  
~  
  
Harry opened his eyes. He was still in that blasted white room. He reached over and grabbed his glasses. Sitting up, he blinked as he felt no pain. Shaking his head, she swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He was still wearing the same robes he had been wearing when he was on the street.  
  
He took a step forward and immediately stopped. His head had started spinning again. She shook it off and continued out the door. Once in the corridor, he realized something that he had not seen in his windowless room. It was night.  
  
Silently, he walked down the corridor, the stone cold beneath his feet. He froze when he heard a voice crying out. He turned his head slightly and saw a door to his right where the sound seemed to have come from.  
  
He placed his ear to the door and listened hard. Inside, someone was muttering and whimpering. He put his hand on the doorknob and pushed. The door silently swung open.  
  
A small girl was in the bed. She couldn't have been more than seven and she was clearly asleep, but she was shaking her head vaguely and muttering, "No...not again...stop..." Harry could not tell her appearance very well in the dark, but she appeared to have brown hair and freckles, which stood out clearly on her pale skin.  
  
Suddenly she let out a loud cry and started shaking violently. Harry ran to her side and shook her as gently as he could while making sure she didn't hit him. She suddenly sat up straight, her eyes wide. She was breathing heavily and she looked around vaguely, as though wondering where she was. She started when she saw Harry.  
  
"It's okay," Harry said quickly. He had just then noticed that her arm was in a cast and Harry could make out cuts and scrapes, some quite serious, on her other arm.  
  
The girl was still white and she started to cry. Harry was surprised. "It's okay," he said again. "You're all right now."  
  
The girl shook her head and leaned back against her pillow, tears running down her face. "My arm would never be the same! They said that my bone was shattered and that they would need to put metal plates in it to take the place! They said I—I wouldn't even tell! But it's not my arm! It's not..."  
  
Harry thought quickly. "What if I told you," he said slowly, checking his words. "That I could heal it right now—good as new?"  
  
The tears stopped abruptly. Suddenly the little girl's eyes grew quite wide and she stared at Harry in wonder. "You—You're Harry Potter?"  
  
Harry blinked at the girl's recognition. "I—yes. I am. How did you know?"  
  
"Everybody knows!" the girl breathed. "I heard the nurses talking about it! My mommy and daddy came in when I was still feverish and told me all about what you did at the Ministry!"  
  
Harry held back a sigh. If the news had gotten to this little girl all alone in the hospital wing—which strangely seemed to be made of individual rooms now instead of one big one—then surely the rest of the wizarding world would know...  
  
The little girl was looking at him in awe. "I—I've read all about you. What you did, what happened..."  
  
"Then you know I can fix your arm," Harry said, cutting off his private (and rather unnerving) musings.  
  
The girl nodded vigorously.  
  
Harry pulled out his wand. He looked the little girl right in the eye and said, "Now, you're going to need to trust me. Magic can do a lot of things that technology can't. I need you to forget everything the doctor's told you."  
  
"Done," the little girl said. She giggled. "I wasn't listening anyway."  
  
Harry grinned too, just to make sure she was at ease. He tapped his wand on her shoulder and muttered, "Engourdi."  
  
The little girl gasped and pocked her arm with her uninjured hand. "It's gone numb!"  
  
Harry nodded. "I thought it might hurt a little before I heal it and I don't want you to be in pain."  
  
The girl nodded, eyes wide. Harry placed his wand and the end of the cast and muttered, "Parti." The cast vanished.  
  
Harry glanced up at her and saw her watching him excitedly. For a third time he tapped her arm muttering, "Gueris."  
  
With a flourish, he tapped her arm a last time. The feeling returned to it. The girl's face showed plainly her awe. She bent her arm experimentally. "That's amazing!" She squealed.  
  
"Will you promise me something?" Harry asked her. She looked at him, eyes wide and nodded. "When you get into school, I want you to learn how to do what I just did. Can you do that for me?"  
  
The girl's mouth opened slightly. "But...that's really powerful! I can't do something like that!"  
  
"You can do anything you want to," Harry said firmly. "Promise me that you will? You have plenty of time before you even start school. Then you have 7 years in the training. You can do it."  
  
The girl bit her lip and nodded.  
  
Harry grinned. "What's you name?"  
  
"Elizabeth Wently," she said.  
  
"I'll check up on you later, okay?" he said. An expression of great delight flitted across her face.  
  
"Will you really? Even though I'm all better now?"  
  
"You can count on it," Harry said nodding. "Now go to sleep so the nurses don't get suspicious." He grinned. "Can't wait to see what they say tomorrow."  
  
Elizabeth grinned widely at that.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning found Harry Potter sitting at a desk he had conjured and writing on parchment and ink that he had acquired in the same fashion.  
  
He was hurriedly writing down a dream that he had had that night. He rested his elbow on the table and his head in his hand, continuing to write. It was the weirdest dream. Pausing, he hesitated, trying to remember...  
  
~ He was sitting at Number Twelve Grimwald Place at the table. Sirius came in and sat down across from him. He looked at Harry with a half exasperated expression on his face.  
  
"Gotten yourself into trouble again?"  
  
Harry couldn't remember what he was talking about, though it seemed important. Harry couldn't seem to make himself concentrate. It always seemed peaceful at Sirius's house, especially since he had gotten rid of that terrible portrait...  
  
Harry saw a figure in the doorway. Ron came in, grinning at him, followed by Hermione. They sat down on either side of him.  
  
"It's been a while, Harry," Ron said. "You never knew when you should just sit back and enjoy the moment."  
  
Ron flickered. "I promise."  
  
Harry blinked. For a second, Ron had looked like...  
  
Harry shook his head. He didn't want to worry himself with stuff like that. Especially here at Sirius's house.  
  
"What have you guys been up to?" Harry asked, trying to change the subject.  
  
Hermione waved her hand impatiently. "Did I not tell you, Ron?"  
  
Ron grinned. "Never were one for battle since that night, Ay Harry?"  
  
Harry frowned. "Can't we possibly talk about something else?"  
  
"Too late for that, Harry," Hermione said, shaking her head. Hermione flickered as well. Harry blinked again. For a second she had looked like...  
  
"You don't think you want to take my class, do you, Harry?" Hermione said, frowning thoughtfully. "I think I want another look at this prophecy..."  
  
"What prophecy?" Harry asked. "I already did that, remember? 'Neither can live while the other survives'? Came and gone."  
  
Harry looked across the table at Sirius. He was watching Harry closely.  
  
"Where are you, anyway?" Ron asked sharply to Sirius.  
  
"In time," Sirius said, grinning. "Years come and go, Ron."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked.  
  
"How long has it been since you've seen a Quidditch game?" Hermione asked suddenly.  
  
"Now you're sounding normal," Harry said, relaxing back in his chair. "It's been a while."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "Still don't understand, do you?"  
  
Harry suddenly found himself getting angry. "Why don't you just come out and say it then?" He hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but no one seemed to notice.  
  
"Have you learned nothing?" Ron asked grinning. "We're more like an extension of yourself. We're just going over clues you already know."  
  
Sirius grinned helplessly.  
  
"How do you know and I don't if you're only an extension of me?" Harry asked harshly. "And why do you keep talking about random things?"  
  
"Never mind, Harry," Hermione said. "You know you've got the short end of the stick. No need to rub it in."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked angrily.  
  
"Tut tut," Sirius said. "You're going to have to learn to control you temper again."  
  
Harry stood up suddenly. He had the vague feeling that they were talking about something he was supposed to know but couldn't remember. He shook his head when he saw everyone watching him. "I'm too old for this..."  
  
Ron looked exceptionally amused at that. Even Hermione was smiling.  
  
"Try telling him that," Sirius said. "Something tells me he won't care."  
  
"Voldemort's dead, remember?" Harry said, forcibly keeping his temper in check. "I killed him. All those years ago."  
  
"In denial," Sirius said seriously to Hermione who nodded.  
  
"He doesn't want to fight," Ron said. "And I can bloody well understand why!"  
  
"That doesn't change anything," Hermione said. "He can't help it. We're right there with you, Harry. Don't worry about it."  
  
"Everyone but Sirius," Ron said, shooting Sirius a half exasperated look.  
  
Sirius put his hands up defensively. "I'm there in spirit! I'll be there in body though when you need help."~  
  
Harry shook his head. He knew it probably didn't mean anything, but he didn't like having those dreams. He knew he was probably in denial about the whole thing. "I can't believe this is happening again," he muttered.  
  
"Would hate to be in your shoes," said a voice.  
  
Harry looked up quickly. He had been so absorbed that he had not heard anyone come in. He managed a smile when he saw Crocker. "Story of my life."  
  
"No doubt," Crocker said. He suddenly grew serious. "The people know, Harry. They want to see you themselves."  
  
"Are you serious?" Harry asked, dropping his quill on the desk.  
  
"It's only to be expected," Crocker said in what he thought was a comforting voice.  
  
Harry sighed. "It never turns out good when I go to the press."  
  
"Are you just going to leave them there?" Crocker asked, though Harry was sure he didn't need to hear Harry's answer to know what he would say.  
  
"Of course not," Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm just a little rattled, that's all. I had the weirdest dream last night... but it doesn't matter."  
  
"So you did get some sleep last night!" Crocker said with a sly look on his face. "I thought you might have spent most of it awake, healing small children."  
  
Harry looked at him.  
  
"The nurse's scream, running down the hall when she found out about little Elizabeth Wently was enough to wake anyone without sound proof rooms." Crocker grimaced. "No matter. She's obviously doing better. She kept going on about how she was going to learn magic like Harry Potter."  
  
Harry grinned despite himself. "I can be very inspiring."  
  
Crocker nodded. "But that only increases the press wanting to talk to you. You've got pictures all over the newspapers."  
  
"How did they get my picture?" Harry asked blankly.  
  
"Someone was taking a picture of a relative at Diagon Alley that day and got you in the corner. They blew it up times ten and put it next to one of your pictures in the text book so people could see the resemblance."  
  
"Brilliant," Harry said sarcastically. "What do they expect me to say?"  
  
"They probably want to know what you did in Diagon Alley," Crocker said, shrugging. "Of course, you've already explained it to me and I'm not even sure I understand..."  
  
"If I say 'magic' will they go away?"  
  
"Doubt it," Crocker said. "You might need to prepare a speech."  
  
"Oh no," Harry said quickly. "Do you want me to loose all their respect for me? If I had writing talent, I'd write a book instead of defeating Dark Lords."  
  
"Maybe they can just ask questions and you can answer them," Crocker suggested.  
  
"Bet I won't have answers to half of them," Harry muttered. "What did you tell them?"  
  
Crocker cringed. "I...er...I didn't expect it to be that big of a deal, so I...well...I rather told them you should be ready by this afternoon."  
  
"Great," Harry said, not getting himself worked up over it. One thing stood out clearly in his memory of the dream... You're going to have to learn to control you temper again.  
  
The hospital door opened again and a head popped in.  
  
"I thought I heard voices."  
  
"Morning, Grander," Harry said. "Come in and have a seat."  
  
Grander came in and sat on the bed. He looked at Harry for a moment before bursting out, "I'm sorry! I went as fast as I could, but Hogwarts is a long way from the Ministry! I just didn't have enough time to get there and back again!"  
  
Harry was rather surprised. He remembered suddenly what Grander was talking about. He had told him to get help from Hogwarts. Harry shook his head. "It wouldn't have made a difference."  
  
"It might have!" Grander protested. Suddenly he looked quite hurt. "Oh, I see. I'm not stupid, you know. You didn't think I could be of help so you sent me out of harms way, not even thinking I would come back."  
  
Harry's wince gave it away. Grander sighed, looking downcast. "I don't blame you. I'm rather useless when it comes to fighting with wands."  
  
"I just didn't want anymore people getting hurt," Harry said apologetically. "And it's not like I don't think you can handle yourself, but everyone has limitations."  
  
"I know," Grander said, seemingly annoyed that Harry had felt he should explain. "You don't have to tell me I'm useless for me to know already." Grander seemed to know that he had just taken a blow to his dignity but he tried hard to recover it. "I'm a historian, after all. I'm not an Auror—a Dark wizard catcher," he said quickly for Crocker's benefit. "The Ministry of Magic had an elite branch of wizards that were trained especially for the fighting and defeating Dark wizards. They only lasted about two hundred years after Lord Voldemort's defeat. Then there was no more need of them—"  
  
"I know the history of the Ministry," Crocker said, cutting Grander off. "No matter how ancient it was." Harry raised his eyebrows. "No offense," he said quickly. "But 800 years is a long time."  
  
"Don't I know it," Harry muttered.  
  
Harry suddenly looked at Grander again. His eyes narrowed slightly. There was something about him that Harry was supposed to remember. What was it?  
  
Grander seemed to realize his was under scrutiny.  
  
"Do I have something in my teeth?" he asked nervously.  
  
Harry snorted and shook his head. "Sorry. I mean, no, you don't. I was just trying to remember something is all."  
  
Grander's ears perked up. "About when you were in school?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "No, more recent than that. It doesn't matter. Not really." Harry kept looking at Grander though. He knew it must be important. There was something he needed to remember—something that could have a large effect on the battle.  
  
"But about this speech," Crocker said, drawing Harry's thoughts to him. Harry sighed and returned his thoughts to the problems at hand.  
  
"What am I supposed to do?" Harry asked. "Just walk out there and say, 'Voldemort's returned and you don't know enough magic to even start defending yourselves. You're only hope is to run as fast as you can in the opposite direction'?"  
  
"That wouldn't be a terrible idea," Crocker said seriously. Harry blinked at him, taken aback.  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"Well, not those exact words, obviously," Crocker said hastily. "But something of the sort. Tell them that the Ministry has the situation under control and if you do see the Dark Lord, it would not be wise to attempt to fight him. You should try to get away as fast as you can."  
  
"But the Ministry doesn't have it under control," Harry said. "The entire Ministry of Magic would not cease to exist if I hadn't gotten Voldemort to leave!"  
  
"But the people need to believe that there's still someone out there that can protect them, or else there's going to be a panic," Crocker argued.  
  
"What about Hogwarts?" Harry protested.  
  
"Hogwarts?" Crocker said blankly. "Hogwarts is a school."  
  
"Hogwarts was the single safest place in all the wizarding world when Voldemort rose the first time. Of course, that was mainly because Dumbledore was there and Dumbledore was the only person that Voldemort feared."  
  
Grander looked incredulous. "Voldemort feared Dumbledore? I thought Voldemort was afraid of you!"  
  
"Well he his now," Harry said, annoyed. "But he certainly wasn't afraid of some punk kid that had managed to get away from him several times because of a lucky chance—even if I was predicted to have the chance to defeat him!"  
  
"Dumbledore must have been really powerful," Grander mused. "Yes, I can see clearly that a long talk is in order. You have some things to tell me."  
  
"But the point is," Crocker cut in. "That Dumbledore isn't here now. He might have held Voldemort off then, but that's really not an option this time. The people won't believe in Hogwarts unless a powerful figure is there to back it up!"  
  
He seemed to have realized what he said.  
  
"Oh, but Harry!" he protested. "Come now! People are more likely to believe in the Ministry than in the school!"  
  
"People associate the Ministry with law. People associate Hogwarts with fond memories of when they were at school. Which would you rather go to?"  
  
"That's not the point!" Crocker said. "We just don't have the man power! It has to be the Ministry!"  
  
"There was a time," Harry said softly. "When Dumbledore was asked to be Minister of Magic. He refused because he wanted to stay at Hogwarts. Do you think he merely wanted to stay here because of the students? No. Well, maybe. Dumbledore was always a little crazy. But he stayed because Hogwarts is more powerful than you think. Tomorrow I will work on putting the charms back up on the castle. The Ministry is simply too big for that kind of protection."  
  
Crocker frowned. "People trust the Ministry."  
  
"People trust me."  
  
Crocker had no argument for that. Sighing, he nodded.  
  
~  
  
Me: Tadda! I always placed a lot of emphasis on dreams in my other story and I wasn't sure if I should bring that into this one as well, but I needed to start giving hints about the final battle. Anyway, I don't think I'll do the dream thing anymore. I doesn't fit as well in this story as in my last one.  
  
Gilthas: Nobody cares, Me. Just write out your little responses to the reviewers. That's all they want to here.  
  
Me: Quiet you!  
  
Gilthas: Whatever. Hey! What do you know? Response time now!  
  
~  
  
keebler-elmo: A club, eh? Or maybe a class of his own...  
  
john: Yay! *is pleased* Thanks!  
  
The Vampire Story Hunter: A precedent! You know, something for future generation to look back on if they have the same situation and have some idea of what to do because someone's done it before them?  
  
Anemosys: Yay! A new reader! Thank you very much.  
  
Rhinemjr: Not probable, no. But possible.  
  
star estrella: Tiny toon adventures come and join the fun! And now our song is done! *blinks* *tries to regain shattered dignity* Right...anyway...  
  
gam: Thank you! Did you know that you were the only one to tell me that? I didn't even want to post because the little 'updated' thingy said that it was last updated 2-13-04 and that's my birthday! But I have to update some time, right?  
  
Prd2bAmerican18: Updated spiffily. Huh, did you know that my spell check didn't just tell me that I must have misspelled 'spiffily'? I guess it really is a word...  
  
Starlight Dreams: Yeah, and you would think that they would have at least retained their medical knowledge! But if you don't know the little things, it's hard to perform the big things and eventually no one anywhere knows enough to perform the big things and then it's forgotten. Sadness...  
  
Sea-Turtles: Ug...don't we all? I suppose President's Day is okay, but it doesn't really qualify. We're going skiing for Spring Break and every chance he gets my Dad points it out to me on the calendar. I like Spring Break because you know when it gets here, you only have 1/4 of the school year left!  
  
WinterWonderland02: Hehe. They all know. Oh, Quidditch is going to be a must. Of course, they don't really have time now. But the magics thing is definitely an imminent possibility.  
  
Dreams of Magic: I don't think it would mess with the story plot too much, but it can't happen. Voldemort wants only his most devoted Death Eaters and Draco doesn't really apply. Not that he wasn't devoted, but he had some personal issues that exceeded his love of Voldemort—like wanting Harry dead for example.  
  
mashimaromadness: That's actually not a bad idea that I hadn't considered before. It does set him off, doesn't it?  
  
insanechildfanfic: Thanks!  
  
bdb869: You would think, wouldn't you? I couldn't exactly write a story if it wasn't interesting... :)  
  
Nasse Himura: Glad you like it! 'Over the top' is a good thing, right? I'm glad that you decided to read this one as well.  
  
sara*magic: You didn't review! Much sadness. Anyway, my sequel's not coming too good. I keep thinking I have it down and the next second I think of something that's stupid in it and I change it to the point of no return and then I have to rewrite it and it's very complicated and it's not coming along too well. Stick with me! I will have it eventually!!!  
  
~  
  
Me: Well that's done.  
  
Gilthas: I think you've actually said everything there is to say.  
  
Me: Yeah, pretty much. Anyway... so I'm done now. I think I'll go eat something... 


	13. Notes and Spells

A/N: I just want to say a quick thank you to all my reviewers! Do you know how many reviews I got on the first day? 36!!! That's the most I've ever gotten on a single day! Yay! You should all pat yourself on the head. Go on. You know you want to.  
  
Gilthas: They're not dogs.  
  
Me: Inuyasha is a dog and you don't see him complaining.  
  
Gilthas: There's nothing wrong with dogs! But generally humans don't pat each other on the head.  
  
M: I do it all the time.  
  
Gilthas: But you're weird and unusual.  
  
Me: Fine. Pat yourself on the back. Are you happy now, Gilthas?  
  
Gilthas: Ecstatic.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 12: Notes and Spells  
  
Harry took a deep breath. He looked at Grander as if asking if he really had to do this.  
  
Grander tried to give him an encouraging smile.  
  
Harry reached out and pushed open the doors of the Great Hall. Immediately he had the strong urge to shut it again as cameras flashed and voices shouted. Taking another resolute step, he found himself in front of many more people than he wanted to, along with, he saw, many students from the school.  
  
He walked up to the teachers table. The other tables in the hall had been moved aside to accommodate everyone. The teachers themselves were attempting to regain some semblance of control. Reporters attempted to push pass electrical barriers. The teachers, yelled for attention but no one was listening.  
  
It was worse than Harry had expected. He pulled out his wand. The sound in the hall dropped several knots, but the next second it returned 10 fold.  
  
Harry waved his wand and the electrical barriers (which did not shock, simply stood as if a wall) dropped only to be replaced seconds later by a silver mist. If Harry's presence before had not halted the noise, that certainly did.  
  
Harry walked to the front of the room and whispers broke out again. Harry climbed onto the top table and looked around, his green stare silencing everyone.  
  
"Good evening," Harry said, his voice sounding quite loud. "I was informed there was some questions that people would like to ask me—" Some reporters shouted.  
  
"Is it true you faced down the Dark Lord?"  
  
"Can we get a comment?"  
  
"You say that he knows advanced magic. Can you be more specific?"  
  
Harry was forced to raise his voice this time. "I will not be answering questions, but I will tell you what is going on to the best of my ability. As you may have guessed, I am Harry Potter."  
  
The noise did not even grow this time. People were waiting for him to speak.  
  
"I cannot tell you how I came back, but I can tell you that while I have been here, I have deduced that it was fortunate indeed that I have returned. Voldemort has been resurrected as well and from the looks of things, you can not defeat him."  
  
No one responded to this. They did not need someone to tell them they were loosing to know.  
  
"Hogwarts was the very safest place in the world when I was alive. That was 1000 years ago, I admit, but that doesn't change the principle. This school has been around for 2000 years now. That not something just anyone can claim. That is why I have chosen to remain at Hogwarts. I will be working on charms and magic to protect this place. If you need help, I will be here."  
  
Harry caught the look on Crocker's face. He tried to ignore it.  
  
"Voldemort has risen again," Harry said. "And it's going to take a lot more than one man to defeat him. He has already used his magic to build an army who knows more magic than the professors at this school. I must ask everyone that if they see him, their only priority is to get themselves and those they love out of there before you can be hurt. Voldemort attacked the hospital—the sick and injured. He will not care if you plead for your life. And he will kill you last so that you might witness him killing your family first."  
  
Silence filled the hall. Harry saw many nervous faces.  
  
"Every terrible thing," Harry said, his voice lowering slightly. "That you have read about Voldemort is true. He murdered hundreds of people and none could stand in his way. I know. I was there!" His voice rose again. "I saw those people die! I saw Voldemort murder them and not care! I know what it's like to think you have nothing left and wish that Voldemort would just kill you too! I know what it's like and yet I'm still fighting. And you should too. I know that there isn't a person in this room who really knows the magic needed to stand against these people, but I am willing to help. I will be at Hogwarts, if I am needed. I will spend the next few days working on castle defenses."  
  
Harry turned and walked from the hall. As soon as he was safely out, he dropped the silver shield he had placed around the people and, waving his wand, Disapparated back to his room.  
  
Someone was waiting for him.  
  
"Oh, bloody hell," Harry said when he saw the pen and notebook in the man's hand. His other hand was in his pocket. "Listen, I already said everything I was going to say downstairs. I have things to do!" The man was staring at him. "So go away," Harry said, not liking the look on the man's face.  
  
"Indeed," the man said. "I was wondering if you might answer a few questions."  
  
"No," Harry said. "Now leave my room."  
  
"No," the man said. Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so annoying. Why didn't he just leave?  
  
"Listen, I'm not answering questions," Harry said. "If you could just—"  
  
"You think you can stand against the Dark Lord's power?" the man asked, cutting him off. Harry's guard was up in an instant.  
  
"Who are you and why are you here?"  
  
"I already told you," the man said. "I am here because I need you to answer a few questions."  
  
"And I already told you I would not."  
  
"Don't even think of cursing me," the man said. "I am under the Dark Lord's protection."  
  
To Harry's horror the man pulled his hand out of his pocket to reveal a stump where his hand had been cut off. "I have quite a lot of the Dark Lord's protection."  
  
"You brought him back," Harry said, anger surging through him. "You made the sacrifice."  
  
"If you know that much," the man said. "You know that you cannot hurt me."  
  
"If you know that much," Harry repeated. "Then you know you can't hurt me."  
  
The man smirked. "The Dark Lord does not want me to hurt you. After all, why simply defeat you when he can crush your spirit?"  
  
Harry scoffed. "If Voldemort believes my spirit breakable, he is even more of a fool than I thought he was."  
  
"The Dark Lord has asked that I give you a message," the man said.  
  
"Then say it and be gone," Harry said coldly.  
  
"We have him."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The Dark Lord's message," the man said. "Is, 'We have him'."  
  
"You have who?"  
  
"That is not my job," the man said. "I have delivered the message."  
  
"Then leave!" Harry yelled. His wand whipped in front of him. The next second the man was gone, leaving Harry pointing his wand at nothing. The door opened.  
  
"Harry?" Grander asked. "There you are! What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," Harry said. Quick as a flash Harry's wand was back in his pocket. "Step one: Put back up the Anti-Apparition field."  
  
"What's that?" Grander asked. Harry looked and saw that the pen and notebook the man had had in his hand had not Apparated with him. Harry picked it up. In bold letter on the front, it said clearly, 'WE HAVE HIM."  
  
* * *  
  
All students were confined to their dormitories. The teachers were in their rooms. The house elves were in the kitchen cooking lunch. They were not allowed to leave. Harry was alone. He had even convinced the Headmistress to stay in her room.  
  
He placed his hand on the smooth stone walls and, taking a deep breath, closed his eyes and concentrated hard.  
  
Magic flowed through him. It was much more than he had channeled in a long time. His body shook a little from the strain, but he held strong, repeating under his breath the words, "Allees et venues cesser. Allees et venues cesser."  
  
His eyes were closed, but he felt rather than saw the rippling stone beneath his fingers, moving like jello. He pushed harder, concentrating firmly on the objective.  
  
Suddenly the magic stopped and Harry fell to the ground, nothing supporting him. He was breathing hard and he felt drained. The castle was the biggest thing he had ever placed the Anti-Apparition charm on. He supposed the founders must have all done it together, combining their strengths. That was the smart way to do it, but Harry was afraid letting another help him with their limited magical abilities might make them hold more magic than they could safely hold and the strain might kill them. He could not risk it.  
  
Breathing heavily still, he made himself get to his feet. His legs felt heavy and stiff but he turned to the room that he was in. It was his old potions classroom. He had thought the strain might be less if he started below ground rather than attempting to push the magic below from above.  
  
A cauldron was sitting on the table with various potions ingredients sitting around it. He scowled when he remembered the amused look on Grander's face when he had asked for a cauldron.  
  
He ran his index finger down the page of a book, rereading the ingredients list. His eyes scanned the ingredients he had and he nodded in satisfaction. The demand for potions ingredients was not great and there had been no trouble getting them.  
  
He had chosen to make the potion after placing the charm on the building. That way he could rest before the massive amount of magic he was going to do.  
  
He carefully measured and added the ingredients to the cauldron, watching as the mixture turned from murky gray to crystal clear in a matter of seconds. Grander had begged to be allowed to watch, but Harry had refused. Grander was to remain in his room with the rest.  
  
When the potion was finished, Harry filled 20 vials with the liquid and stopped them firmly, putting them in his cloak.  
  
He felt better now that he had his small rest. He still felt tired beyond imagining as he attempted to climb the steps. He dared not use magic to help him. He would need everything he had to finish the charm around the grounds.  
  
Harry did not stop at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He went quite a ways in until he could hardly even see the castle. The grounds were larger than only the castle. When he did finally make it to the edge of the grounds, he pulled out a single vial. He threw it to the ground, smashing it. The liquid in it glowed as it hit the ground and splattered. Harry walked another 100 or so feet and threw another. It glowed as well and if anyone had taken the time to notice, the splatter that resulted was exactly the same size and shape as the previous.  
  
Harry continued this routine until he had surrounded the entire of the Hogwarts grounds with the potions. When he had a single one left, he fingered it for a moment. He was about to channel quite a lot of magic the second this one left his fingers. He shook away his fatigue and, in one quick motion, threw the bottle to the ground.  
  
The next second he was on his knees, his hand pressed firmly to the ground, his face screwed up as he muttered, "Allees et venues cesser. Allees et venues cesser," again and again.  
  
A light shone from where his hands were on the ground spread out around him in all directions. It stopped abruptly in the circle Harry had made with the potions. Harry did not remove his hands and pushed hard against the unyielding ground, his low mutter becoming a shout as he struggled to keep his tiring hold.  
  
Suddenly it stopped and Harry fell to the ground, breathing heavily. He rolled onto his back and just lay there, blinking away little dots that appeared before his eyes. He was not sure how long he lay there, but gradually he felt his strength returning and stumbled to his feet.  
  
Wearily he made his way to the school. He was greeted by Grander, looking at him with wide eyes. Grander started speaking, but Harry didn't hear anything in his tired mind except for a low murmur. He nodded when Grander paused and said, "Yeah" occasionally.  
  
Finally they made it to his room and Harry collapsed on the bed. He was half asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry awoke later that day. There was a general mumble of noise outside his room. He was half ready to fall back asleep again, but his stomach rumbled angrily and he realized that he could not lie there any longer.  
  
Groaning slightly, he pushed himself into a sitting position. His head swum a little, but he stood up and made his way to his door, stumbling slightly.  
  
When he opened his door, the mumble of voices hushed slightly. Before this day, he had never realized how close his door was to the classes. Some of the students stared at him, their mouths opened slightly.  
  
He moved as quickly as he could, but he felt drained, as if all the energy had been sapped out of him.  
  
He stopped to rest several times before finally reaching the kitchens. When he arrived, he was breathing heavily again and the house elves scrambled to get him a chair.  
  
His mouth actually got tired of chewing after the third bite and Harry asked for something less solid.  
  
He was eating yogurt when a teacher came in.  
  
"Good Lord!" said the woman, surprised.  
  
Harry looked at her, putting on a weakly innocent grin. "I was hungry."  
  
"I thought you would still be sleeping," the woman said. "You were out cold for hours."  
  
Harry shrugged. "I couldn't sleep as hungry as I was. Guess I needed some sort of energy."  
  
"Food can do that," the woman said, nodded. She looked at a moment before saying, quite quickly. "It all feels different, you know?"  
  
"What?" Harry asked blankly.  
  
"The castle!" the woman said. "You get this prickling feeling every time you touch the walls. It's not bad! It's just different."  
  
"Well," Harry said, shrugging. "At least no one can Apparate in here."  
  
The woman shook her head in wonder. "Very few people can Apparate at all."  
  
Harry surprised himself by how much the knowledge did not come as a shock. He shook his head wearily. "It has ceased to amaze me."  
  
The woman smiled a little. "Quite unlike you."  
  
"I suppose the school's buzzing by now, is it?" Harry had to ask.  
  
"You expected less? Classes had to be postponed so you can't even begin to hope that someone didn't notice."  
  
"This is only the beginning," Harry said firmly. "I have quite a bit to do before this castle can be back to what it is."  
  
The woman nodded.  
  
Harry stood up, rubbing his eyes. "I'm off to get more sleep. I suppose I'll see you."  
  
The teacher nodded again and Harry left, hardly paying attention to where he was going as he stumbled along. The students were all in classes by this time.  
  
He found himself, once again, outside the gargoyle. He shook his head in wonderment. He always ended up here.  
  
Harry gave the password and stood on the moving staircase. He was pleased to see that the usual sluggishly, barely moving, pace of the staircase had increased slightly. It no longer made a scraping noise as it moved upward.  
  
He couldn't bring himself to actually walk up the slowly moving steps so he stood and waited for the stairs to bring him to the top at their sluggish pace. He wearily opened the door when he reached the top and managed a little wave as the portraits greeted him.  
  
"You look exhausted!" A woman in a portrait exclaimed.  
  
"That's only to be expected," a man replied. "He put the Anti-Apparition spells around the entire castle! All by himself!"  
  
"It feels so good to have the magic increased here," another witch said, looking happily around at the stone walls. "After all my years being here, I've been somewhat more in tune with the castle. I didn't notice how much I missed the magic until I realized just how much was gone."  
  
"Have you slept at all?" Phineas Nigellus asked, scowling. "You look like you've been through hell and back, all in one long trip!"  
  
"Phineas!" a witch scowled. "Leave the poor boy alone!"  
  
"Have you slept?" asked another wizard.  
  
Harry nodded, running his fingers through his hair to push it out of his face.  
  
"Then you need some more rest," Dumbledore said. Harry noticed that he was frowning at him slightly. "You'll kill yourself at this rate."  
  
Harry shrugged guiltily. "It's nothing really."  
  
A witch scoffed at him. "That's ridiculous, child!" Harry scowled at the name. The witch remained firm. "If you're going to mistreat yourself like that, I don't see why you deserve to be called anything else. There's a bed in the other room where the Headmasters and Mistresses slept. Stay in there." She nodded to a door.  
  
Harry looked at it and hesitated. It was the Headmaster's room...  
  
"There are no portraits in there," the witch continued, misinterpreting his hesitation. "We won't bother you. It's not like you can make it to your room."  
  
Harry knew she was quite right about the last thing and that was what finally won him over. Slowly, he started over to the door and reached out a tentative hand. He gasped and jerked it away the second it touched the knob.  
  
Dumbledore smile. "All the magic of Hogwarts remains in that room, Harry. Nothing has been removed from it in all these years."  
  
"All the magic?" Harry asked, looking at the room in disbelief.  
  
"Every bit of it," Dumbledore said, nodding. "It's disconnected, in a way, to the rest of the castle. As the magic in the rest slowly diminished, nothing in the room changed."  
  
"How is it disconnected?" Harry asked, momentarily forgetting his tiredness.  
  
"It isn't there."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Let me put it this way," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "If you walked around the other side of the wall, there would be no place there where the room should be. Like your Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher your forth year. His trunk. What was his name again?"  
  
"You mean his fake name or his real one?"  
  
"That's right!" Dumbledore said. "That was the imposture year. I remember now. The years just seem to run together eventually."  
  
Harry nodded. He opened the door again and he found himself looking into the most wonderful room he had ever seen.  
  
A 4-poster bed sat at the side of the room. A huge oak dresser sat at the foot of it. The room was decorated in all the colors of the houses with a giant painting of the Hogwart's seal painted perfectly on the ceiling.  
  
But it was not what was in the room that grabbed Harry's attention. It was the feeling of it. He now understood what the teacher had been talking about when she said the school felt 'different'. The room was simply alive with magic—so much that it seemed to tingle in the very air. Harry had not noticed it in the school because it was not that great of a change and he was mentally and physically exhausted. But the room's magic was simply too great to be ignored...  
  
Harry had not realized he was gawking until a wizard yelled, "Are you going to stand there all day?" and he realized what he was doing.  
  
He jumped slightly.  
  
"There are pajamas in the dresser," Dumbledore said helpfully from behind him. Harry nodded though he had no intention of changing clothes. It seemed like a lot of effort.  
  
He closed the door behind him and took a moment to stare at the room before going over to the wonderful 4-poster and collapsing on top of it. His last conscious thought was that it felt good to not be able to see the ceiling again...  
  
~  
  
A/N: Gasp! No one can Apparate or Disapparate on the Hogwart's grounds—again! And I had to give Harry a 4-poster. Besides, the previous Heads had to sleep somewhere!  
  
Gilthas: Unless they didn't.  
  
Me: But they did.  
  
Gilthas: But if they didn't they wouldn't have.  
  
Me: They would have because they did.  
  
Gilthas: But if they didn't need sleep then they wouldn't have slept there.  
  
Me: But they did—oh never mind.  
  
Gilthas: Just respond to reviewers already!  
  
Me: Right.  
  
~  
  
HiddenFlame42: You reviewed every chapter!!! Not only this fic, but BTBT as well! I'm writing a sequel to that one. It's not going too good. I completely agree with your philosophy about evil people. Why don't they die and just stay dead? Well...other than the fact that I'm the author and I brought him back. Ug. The one thing miss about BTBT that I can't write much in this fic is the sarcastic remarks. I find myself writing some and then having to go back and erase it because the Harry in this story wouldn't say that! Sadness. That's why I seized the chance in his encounter with Voldemort. :)  
  
sara*magic: Sorry your review got scrapped! I was sad when I didn't see one. America's pretty spiffy. People are fatter than in Europe because of fast food (not me of course. I'm practically perfect in every way. Ga! Mary Poppins! Hehe...Simpsons...). Most everyone eats fast food everyday. That includes me. What's your opinion on McDonalds? Real meat or fake meat? Personally, I think if it were real meat, they'd advertise it that way. Like Arby's. I think it was Arby's. Maybe it was somewhere else. Anyway, I have the first chapter written in my sequel. I scratched the first version and then rewrote it. I did the same to the second chapter, which is why I don't have it done yet. I reread it and was like, "What?" So I rewrote it (or have started the rewriting process) to make it better. It's hard! Don't worry. I think when I have chapter three finished to satisfaction I'll post the first chapter.  
  
keebler-elmo: Did you know that I have an unofficial list of people (that's not actually a list because I don't have it written down or anything) that I recognize by their names on their reviews? You're on it! Maybe it's just the name, 'keebler-elmo' but I recognize you. Thanks for the review!!!  
  
ssjztrunks: Thanks!  
  
Anemosys: Dreams are always confusing and I tried really hard to make this one so. I think I made it so that only the author who knew how the final battle would go will understand exactly what it means. Go me. Way to be cryptic.  
  
Darkmoon Fleur: I think all dreams are confusing. Like this one time recently, I had this dream and I was riding on this elephant. Then, when I gave someone the reins (yeah, it was wearing a horse halter and reins. Weird?) so that I could get down, they kept walking with it and I couldn't get down! Then, the reins came loose and I was on top of the elephant with no way to control it... Yeah. Not pleasant. No idea where that elephant came from...  
  
mashimaromadness: I might use that. I know how the final battle's going to go, but I haven't written it yet. I really need to write some more chapters. Everyone almost got an extra long, like 20 page chapter, before I realized how long it was a broke it into two. I'm evil.  
  
Sea-Turtles: The dream was rather spur of the moment. I thought, 'I'm going to need to start some serious hinting here'. Hehe! I bet I confused everyone a little more on this chapter with Voldemort's message! Try to connect the two confusing things... Ga! I've said too much.  
  
insanechildfanfic: Thanks a lot!  
  
My Conscience: I like your name. Ga! The 'slash' word. It's one of those things why you have to be very careful when looking at fan art. My friend can tell you...  
  
Rhinemjr: Oh! Thank you! That's a very high compliment!  
  
feenamoon16: You're another one of the 'Harry should teach a class' reviewers. I don't want to give away too much (and that probably gave away much too much just by saying that) but just wait until the next chapter!  
  
lady sakura: Sakura...sakura...I've heard that name somewhere. I swear I have. Is that from something or am I simply convincing myself that I've heard it and I really haven't?  
  
FreedomStar: You know, they have author alerts that tell you when an author has updated. Though, I've been known to ignore that and simply look anyway even though I know they won't have updated. *sigh*  
  
Draken Smythe: Waiting is the hardest part... Sorry. That's a Tom Petty song I think. It popped into my head randomly, you know, like those musicals where people randomly burst into song?  
  
abhisek: Boy, is your name hard to remember, or what? I'm glad you like my story!  
  
Y401-F4N: Sorry I took so long! I was swamped in homework and soccer. Well, that and Inuyasha. I think I'm becoming a fan...  
  
Madrid-c16: Are you Spanish? ;) Thanks. I really do try hard to get the personalities right. If you don't, sometimes you wind up with completely unwanted...SLASH!!! Ah!!! It burns! It hurts so much!!!  
  
star estrella: You've been hacking into my computer, haven't you?  
  
Greyhound Master: I've got the 4-poster! The broom is in the works. :)  
  
Savi2070 And Catc10: You read it all aloud? Are you okay? Are your voices sore?  
  
Hilel: Whoo-who! Do'h! (Aka: Top ten!!! No more reviews?)  
  
john: I liked the little girl. Elizabeth Wently, wasn't it? Something like that anyway.  
  
waunderingwolf: They didn't give it up! It just became too complicated. If you can't perform the little things properly, then eventually you can't perform the big things and then, if no one can perform the big things, people eventually forget it.  
  
Constance Truggle: Hehe. Did you know that your name sounds like 'Constant Struggle'? ...Yeah. You probably knew that. Anyway, all I can safely say is, All will be revealed! *does weird fortune teller thing* Yep. All revealed...  
  
~  
  
Me: Thank you for all the reviews!!!  
  
Gilthas: Now please review again.  
  
Me: Say please!  
  
Gilthas: *blink* I just did.  
  
Me: Oh right. What he said. The first time. 


	14. The Minister's Request

Chapter 13: The Minister's Request

He awoke the next morning and it took him a minute to remember where he was. He heard voices on the other side of the door.

"Don't wake him up!" he heard a woman's voice say. "He's exhausted!"

"The Minister of Magic—" A voice began.

"Tell him it can wait!" snapped a man. Then he muttered. "Never before was a time the Minister couldn't wait on the Headmaster."

"He's not the Headmaster—" The voice tried again.

"And the Minister is only the Minister," said another voice.

"He's the Minister of Magic!"

"And Harry Potter is Harry Potter. That seems more important to me."

Harry groaned slightly as he raised himself into a sitting position. He honestly did not want to get up, but the arguing person sounded like Grander and if he was attempting to wake Harry up, it must be important.

He rubbed his hair absentmindedly, attempting to make it tame itself. He shook himself mentally and tried to look wide awake.

He opened the door.

"Harry!" Grander said instantly. Harry saw that he had been arguing with the portraits.

"What's up?" Harry asked.

"Oh, but look at him!" said a witch, talking to Grander. "He's dead on his feet!"

Harry scowled. "I'm not a kid, you know," he muttered.

Grander seemed slightly amused by this. The corners of his mouth twitched but Harry was glad he said nothing of it. "The Minister of Magic requests your presence."

Harry frowned slightly. "What for?"

Grander shrugged. "I'm only the messenger."

Harry nodded. He was feeling slightly more awake now and rather hungry. "How about we get some food?"

Grander grinned. "He thought you might say that. He's requested your presence in the Great Hall. The students are already in class."

"What time is it?" Harry asked as they waited for the staircase to bring them to the bottom.

"2:00," Grander said promptly.

"In the morning?" Harry asked incredulously.

"In the afternoon," Grander corrected as they stepped out. Harry could see from the natural light streaming in through the windows that he was not joking.

"I slept that long?"

"Longer than you expect, probably," Grander said. "I've been in to check on you, of course, but you've been sleeping constantly for two days now."

"Bloody hell," Harry muttered, running his fingers through his hair. Grander glanced at him, amused.

They reached the Great Hall without another word and Grander pushed the doors open. Grander was sitting at the teachers table, looking rather annoyed.

"Good afternoon," Harry said smoothly. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

"You've placed charms on the castle," Crocker said, getting straight to the point.

"Just one," Harry amended.

"One?" Crocker asked in disbelieve.

"Yep," Harry said, sitting next to him. "I'm starved. What do we have in the way of food?"

"I'll have the house elves bring you something," Grander said. He hurried from the room.

"In my day," Harry grumbled. "You only had to ask the plate what you wanted and it would give it to you."

"That's ridiculous," Crocker said, waving his hand as though he thought Harry was being stupid. Harry couldn't help but grin.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to get the sleep out. "So what bring you to our humble establishment?"

"Nothing's working properly!" Crocker said. "My $600 watch started ticking backwards!"

"Who'd spend that much on a watch?" Harry asked, taken aback.

Crocker waved his hand dismissively. "The issue here is not my watch, it's the fact that nothing's working! Half of the teachers didn't wake up this morning because their alarms didn't go off!"

"You came all the way down here to tell me that?" Harry asked blankly. "Don't you have more important, Ministry related things to worry about, like...preventing Voldemort from entering?"

"Voldemort's goal," Crocker said firmly. "Is to bring down Hogwarts. That means I will do everything I can to prevent him from doing just that. He will attack soon—especially since you announced that you planned to strengthen it. If Hogwarts falls, then you fall and everyone's hopes fall. I can't allow that to happen."

"What do you plan to do?" Harry asked calmly. "I can stand against Voldemort, but I cannot stand against him and all his Death Eaters at the same time."

"I will post Ministry members at the castle," Crocker said.

"What can they do?" Harry asked reasonably. "The technology cannot stand in the face of the advanced magic I intend to place here. The only way they can protect the people here is if they knew more magic."

Crocker hesitated. Harry's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Crocker obviously wanted Harry to do something. Suddenly it clicked in Harry's head.

He shook his head. "I don't have time!" he protested. "I have plenty to do without training your Aurors!"

"I thought you wanted this place to be safe!" Crocker protested. "There isn't a person in this world that belongs in this time that knows more magic than those people! They want to learn! They would be excellent students and it should only take about an hour out of your day!"

"I'm not going to be at my full strength," Harry argued. "I've only put a single spell over the castle and I'm already drained! Using more magic could be difficult!"

"All the more reason!" Crocker said. "If you're not up to your full strength, Hogwarts is going to be vulnerable. And because Voldemort knows you're here, this is where he'll attack! You need more protection!"

Harry opened his mouth to argue but Crocker cut him off. "If you're not going to do it for me, do it for the students. They came here to learn and already you have them looking over their shoulders, their hands inching toward protection devices that aren't even guaranteed to work with these new spells! You owe it to them to protect them from things that they can't protect themselves from!"

Harry frowned slightly, but there was no getting around Crocker's logic. Casting a distinctly disgruntled look at Crocker, he said, "Fine. But only an hour a day. I don't have the time or the strength to do more."

There was an excited yell from the doorway to the hall. Harry looked sharply at it and saw Grander, looking not at all abashed at him outburst hurrying to the table, a house elf carrying a tray of food right behind him.

"And the teachers?" Grander asked excitedly.

"What about them?" Harry asked, though he knew where Grander was going.

"The teachers can participate too, right?" Grander hurried on at the look on Harry's face. "The students are going to need to know that their teachers can protect them!"

Harry glared at Crocker and Grander both. "I had better get paid for this." he grumbled.

"I think the happy face on the children should be payment enough," Crocker said in a voice that suggested it would. Harry glowered but said nothing.

* * *

Harry ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which he had broke himself of year ago and that was beginning to resurface.

"You're here to learn something of magic," Harry began. He tried not to look at the unconcealed excitement on a few people faces—Grander's included.

"I am here to teach you, though I'm not entirely confident how much I can teach you in only an hour."

"The Minister wanted to make it more," Harry heard a mutter. "But he said he would only teach an hour a day."

"That's enough, Grander," Harry said, feeling distinctly stupid at telling off people who looked years older than him. Grander looked distinctly abashed that Harry had heard him. Harry cleared his throat nervously.

"Yes, anyway, I'm not quite sure where to begin, seeing as how I don't know how much magic you know. Er...yes?" A woman in the front seat had raised her hand.

"Alice Benton," said the woman in a clear voice. "We have learned the basics, of course, such as matches to needles—" There was scattered muttering around the class at that time and Harry had the distinct impression that she was virtually alone in the mastery of that skill. "And the unlocking charm."

"Gees, Lady," said a voice behind her. "Where did you go to school because the rest of us went to Hogwarts!"

Harry's emerald green eyes fell upon the speaker. It was a man and Harry thought there was something recognizable about him. He shifted uncomfortably under Harry's steady gaze.

"Perhaps you would like to demonstrate the extent of magic that you know," Harry said in a soft voice that nonetheless carried.

The man got cockily to his feet. "Indeed, er...Professor." He said the final word with an undeniable slur on it.

He pulled out his wand. The second he waved it Harry was on edge, his wand in his hand. His grip was wrong and he was no where near powerful enough to perform the charm without the words.

"Impedimenta!" Harry said angrily. The man froze halfway through. Harry walked calmly up to him and extracted the small devise from the hand in which he carried his wand.

He did not remove the man from the jinx as he turned calmly to the class, his anger apparent despite his calm features.

"I was told that I would be teaching those more advanced in the art of magic than all others in this time. Instead I get children that pull useless pranks in class with devises that would not have worked properly with the magic in the air as it is and would perhaps have exploded without warning, causing injury."

Harry waved his wand and the man was released from his jinx.

"I would have you know now," Harry said calmly to him. "That if something of this nature happens again, you will kindly leave and not foul my presence by letting me see you again."

He spoke the last words harshly and snatched away the man's wand which he still held stupidly in the air before him. The man scrambled for his seat and Harry sat his wand on the desk.

"I will not waste time turning matches to needles. We can, perhaps, learn the unlocking charm. It has proved useful before. Ms. Benton," Harry said, gesturing to the woman who claimed to be able to do the charm. "Perhaps you can demonstrate."

The woman seemed rather hesitant now. She stood up and Harry waved his wand at the nearest door. It locked with an audible click.

The woman pulled out her wand and walked over to it. She cleared her throat nervously and said, quite loudly, "Alohomora!"

Nothing happened.

The woman bit her lip nervously and tried again. She said it stronger this time. "Alohomora!"

This time the lock clicked. A smile spread over her face and Harry had the impression of a first year just completing their first charm.

"Good," Harry said, nodding. The woman sat back down hurriedly, looking immensely pleased with herself. Harry held back a sigh.

Not wanting to use a lot of magic, Harry simply duplicated the door lock instead of actually conjuring new ones and made the students come to the front to pick them up. When they were seated again, Harry said, "The charm is 'Alohomora'. You will practice on these locks. Begin."

The class exchanged looks but, slowly, Harry heard a few shouts of 'Alohomora!' though he heard 'Alomohora!' just as often.

He walked around the class, correcting grips and pronunciations. By the end of class, he had only managed three people to get the charm to work at all. When the hour was up, Harry announced to the class, "I know that you did not decided to take this class for homework, but I think that learning the theory behind the charms might help. A two page essay is due tomorrow at the beginning of class covering the ways that the charm and/or similar charms can be and were used in the past. And please work on the charms tonight so that I might not have to spend another day on them. Class dismissed."

The class left without another word. Grander stayed behind.

"That was fun!" he said enthusiastically.

"You didn't even get the charm right," Harry said, raising his eyebrows. "Yes, but did you see what you did to that Auror that tried to pull that trick at the beginning of class?"

"I must have missed it," Harry said sarcastically. Grander grinned and Harry rubbed his eyes wearily. "If we have many more sessions like this, we're really not going to get anything done."

"I tried to prepare, I really did," Grander protested. "But I wasn't sure what to study."

"You want me to assign a book?" Harry asked, suddenly thinking it wasn't such a bad idea.

Grander shrugged. "It might be helpful. I've no idea where I'm to find the information on the Alomohora charm."

"Alohomora," Harry corrected absentmindedly. His mind was buzzing. "I'll have to see about the book thing. I don't know just a lot, but I'm sure I can find them? Have you ever heard of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection? That was my first year book, though I'm not quite sure how I even remembered that."

"If you know the title," Grander said helpfully. "I'm sure the Minister could find it for you. I doubt you can find an adequate book in the bookstore. The Ministry has tons of ancient books."

"I resent being called old," Harry said, smiling slightly.

"No offense meant," Grander said, smiling as well.

Harry thought for a moment. "It's been a week," he said simply.

Grander understood instantly. He shook his head emphatically. "I think you mean it's only been a week! How can you think of going again so soon?"

"It's not so soon," Harry said. "And I'm trying to get Hogwarts back to its old strength as soon as possible."

Grander frowned. "And you think by killing yourself it's going to help?"

"I'm not going to die," Harry said.

"Everyone thinks they're immortal," Grander grumbled. "Gonna live forever! But you can't! You're going to die of exhaustion if you're not careful!"

"Yeah," Harry said quietly. "But I'll just keep coming back."

Grander's frown deepened. "Don't do this to us, Harry! We need your help if we're going to relearn magic!"

"I'm not trying to kill myself!" Harry said, annoyed. "I'm trying to protect against Voldemort!"

"Let someone help you," Grander said quickly. "I can help!"

"The magic flow would kill you," Harry said quickly. "I can't risk it."

"I'll be okay," Grander said stubbornly. "What if the Minister helped, or the Headmistress? They're better at magic than I am!"

"The magic is too strong!" Harry said, shaking his head. "You don't know what it's like. You can't just jump in, cold turkey! You have to practice!" Despite the situation, Harry did not miss the beginnings of a smile flit across Grander's face.

"What?" Harry asked angrily. "Do you see something amusing in this?"

"Of course not!" Grander said hurriedly. "It's nothing. But really, Harry! Don't you think maybe you could let someone be out there? Just out there, they don't have to help or anything! They can be moral support!"

"You can't be out there," Harry said stubbornly. "You'll be part of the initial blast. You'd still be in harm's way."

"It looks to me that no matter what I do I'll be in harm's way," Grander said stubbornly. "Or have you forgotten the main threat that is Lord Voldemort?"

"I haven't forgotten," Harry said. "And I'm already feeling stronger. I need to get this done as soon as possible!"

"As soon as possible," Grander muttered. Then he looked at Harry. "Even if it kills you?"

"It won't kill me," Harry said, annoyed. "I've already waited a week! Besides," Harry tone quieted, though he didn't really believe anyone was listening. "I can't forget the message Voldemort sent me. I've been watching and so far as I know, they don't have anyone!"

"What?" Grander asked blankly. Then he remembered. "You mean when Voldemort told you that 'we have him'? He's probably just trying to get you worked up about something."

"Maybe," Harry said. "But that doesn't seem like Voldemort's style. Anyway, the sooner I get the wards up, the safer I'll feel."

"What will you put up this time?" Grander asked.

"This time it will only go on the castle," Harry said. "A strengthening charm. It should make the castle three times stronger. Still, right after that I'm going to have to start to break the castle of its reliance on technology. None of it's going to hold up after that. I'll start with the common rooms."

Grander suddenly became very excited, seeming to forget the earlier disagreement. "Are you going to put a portrait there to ask for the password?"

Harry blinked. "I suppose..."

Grander seemed exceptionally excited. "It's like moving back in time!" he said gleefully. "This is amazing!"

"Sure," Harry said, eyeing the apparently crazy man suspiciously. "I suppose I'll have to put some of the Headmaster and Headmistress paintings up. I'm not sure I trust any of the others."

Grander clapped his hands together. "Can I pick? Please?"

"I suppose," Harry said blankly. "I'll have to check it before we can put it out. Some of the old Heads still maintain house prejudices."

"Right," Grander said, "Check for prejudices. On it." He left quickly, almost skipping.

Harry shook his head at the crazy man. At least he hadn't let Grander talk him out of performing the charm.

He set off down the hall, toward the direction of the Headmistress Chiden's office. He would need her consent before anything else.

He knocked loudly on her door and pushed it open when he heard her say, "Come in."

"Oh, hello, Mr. Potter," Chiden said when she saw him.

"Hi," Harry said. "I was wonder when the soonest time was that I could perform my next spell on the castle."

The headmistress frowned at him. "It's only been a week."

"I know," Harry said. "But this time I don't plan to do the entire grounds, only the castle."

"I see," Chiden said. "And what do you plan to put on it?"

"Just strengthening."

"How will that affect the technology in place all around the school?"

Harry sighed. "Odds are it will go completely haywire."

"Haywire?" the headmistress asked blankly.

"Crazy," Harry amended. He had found that some words he used meant different things now than it had for him while others had left use altogether.

Chiden sighed. "How are we supposed to keep a school running when things like that keep happening? A calculator exploded in a girl's face the other day in the middle of Divination after telling her repeatedly that 24 plus 36 equals 7."

"It's 60," Harry said blankly. "Why does she need a calculator for that?"

"I don't know," Chiden said. "But that's not the issue. How can you correct this?"

"I can't 'correct' it," Harry said, frowning. "They'll just have to work it out on paper."

"So your solution to the problem of Voldemort is to let us loose everything we've learned?" the headmistress suddenly seemed quite angry though Harry was not quite sure what he had done to upset her.

"Everything you can do with technology," Harry said, slowly, choosing his words carefully. "Can be done easier than magic and without previous preparation."

"Magic is holding us back!" Chiden said crossly. "Technology is the future! We didn't even have calculators 600 years ago when the rest of the world had been using them for hundreds of years!"

"And look how much our math skills have improved," Harry said sarcastically. "We need a calculator to add 24 and 36."

"That's not the issue!" the headmistress said heatedly.

"Yeah, I've heard that a lot lately," Harry said, his anger getting the better of him. "Everyone is completely sure that they and they alone know exactly what's best for the people and the world and the future! Perhaps you would like to add your opinion to my mental stack of irrelevant comments because that's how much it's going to mean to me!"

"This is my school!" Chiden shouted.

"It is!" Harry snapped. "I'm just trying to fix what you messed up!"

"And what makes your opinion the right one?" Chiden said. "What if technology really is all we need?"

"Then you would have no trouble defeating Voldemort, would you?" Harry found himself shouting as well. "You're being completely irrational!"

"Oh!" Chiden said sarcastically. "I'm being irrational, am I? You come back and automatically assume that everything you know is right and everything we know is wrong!"

"I know that Voldemort would have killed an entire hospital without the least bit of resistance!" Harry snapped. "I know that a little girl would never have been able to move her arm properly until I healed it! I know that with a single charm on the school, your entire way of life has been disrupted nearly beyond repair! Is that what you want me to see? Or is there something I'm missing?"

The headmistress seemed to have swelled. "In our way of life, there were no more murders until you came along! I know in our way that people were actually happy!"

"And your way was destroyed because of something that wasn't properly buried!" Harry snapped. "Who in their right mind buries Voldemort next to his parents where everyone can see him?"

"People who have no need to fear murderers!" Chiden snapped. "Unlike you!"

"Well forgive me for attempting to keep you all alive!" Harry snapped. "I suppose that unlike me, the innocent children here have no need to fear Voldemort!"

"They didn't need to until you came along!"

"If I wasn't here they'd all be dead by now," Harry said, his voice lowered. "And so would you."

"You don't know that!" Chiden snapped.

"But I know Voldemort," Harry said firmly. "And I know that he wouldn't simply let you be because you weren't hurting anyone. London wasn't hurting anyone and now look at it!"

Harry did not wait for her to reply. He turned on his heal and marched out of the room and didn't stop until he was inside Dumbledore's old office and sitting with his arms crossed, fuming in the chair at the side of the room.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked a previous headmistress tentatively.

"No," Harry said shortly.

There was a moment a silence.

"Who does she think she is?" Harry burst out angrily. "Talking to me like that? Haven't I done enough so she doesn't have to talk to me like a spoiled child that needs his toy taken away?"

"Who?" a wizard tried.

Harry ignored him. "I didn't even say anything! She just started yelling at me and saying that I'd messed everything up! What kind of crazy psycho is she? Does she think that I wanted to come back and defend the world from Voldemort?"

"Maybe she just doesn't understand—" a witch tried.

"And then she starts raving about how everything was much better before any of this ever happened and how some stupid calculator blew up—and who needs a calculator to add 24 and 36 anyway?—and how I wasn't to do my strengthening charm on the castle because then none of their precious technology would work properly!"

Harry paused for breath and none of the portraits seemed entirely sure what they were supposed to say. Well, none except the ex-head of Slytherin house, Phineas Nigellus.

"How dare she!" he said with venom.

Harry barely noticed who was talking. "Really! And it's not like I was begging on hands and knees for someone to bring me back!"

"Why should she possibly talk to you that way?" Phineas continued.

"Honestly!" Harry said, waving a hand for emphasis. "Do you think I'm doing this for my safety?"

"Of course not!" Phineas said. "You don't need any extra protection!"

"I can defend myself," Harry snapped. "It's them who don't know how to fight properly!"

"What idiots!" Phineas snapped as well.

"They can't even perform an unlocking charm!" Harry said "I spent all hour..." he trailed off, realizing who he was talking to.

"Are you quite finished?" Phineas asked, looking rather bored.

"Yes," Harry said, gritting his teeth.

"Because there are more important things to do than rant about something that we can't even do anything about," Phineas said. "If she won't let you do the strengthening charm, you'll have to do it without her permission."

"Did she really tell you that you couldn't do it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Those weren't her exact words," Harry admitted. His eyes lit up. "She didn't, did she? I'll just have to do it at night when no one will be up."

"Then you had better get some sleep," Dumbledore said. "Do you plan to do it tonight?"

"I think I'll wait a night," Harry said thoughtfully. "With another spell, the technology will be all screwed up and no one will be able to get into their common rooms."

"You'll need portraits," Dumbledore said.

"I'll do it," said a witch. "I was head of Hufflepuff house in my day and I'm rather anxious to get out of this same room after all these years."

After her came several other people asking to go as well, 'just until Harry could get someone else to do it'.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Me: That's all. I'm done now and my sister wants the computer. Please review!


	15. Possession

Chapter 14: Possession

Harry hung the portrait of the ex-Headmistress, Tena Verda, in front of the Hufflepuff common room.

"I'm crooked," she muttered.

Harry frowned and attempted to straighten the portrait. "How's that?"

"Perfect," she said. "I'm so excited! I can't believe I get to be the person who asks for the password! I've always wondered what it would be like."

"And they say Ravenclaws are the knowledge seekers," Harry muttered.

"That's very stereotypical," Verda sniffed.

Harry shrugged. "Now remember, the password is hippogriff."

Verda nodded.

"And you're not—"

"—to let anyone in without the password and tell everyone the password when they leave so they're sure to know it and tell them not to tell anyone else. I know!"

Harry grinned. "Alright then. And try not to let anyone out until you know I'm done. If you can do something like that."

Verda nodded. "Now go cast your spell."

Harry nodded and left in the other direction. When the darkness of the school started to press in thickly against his eyes and he could see nothing but blackness, he held out his hand, palm up and whispered. "Allumer!"

A small ball of light appeared in his hand. It cast less light than the Lumos spell and he did not wish to be seen.

He made his way silently to the dungeons, keeping a careful eye out for teachers, though he did not honestly expect to see anyone.

He stopped when he reached his old potion's classroom. He shook his hand that contained the little ball of light and it went out. Next he whispered, "Torche!"

All the lights on the walls flipped on, filling the room with light. Harry hesitated. He had to be ready when he performed the spell. He placed both hands on the wall and closed his eyes.

He stood that way for a moment. The next he pushed hard on the unyielding wall and yelled, "Solide!" three times in quick succession. Every time he yelled, a tremor ran up the wall, giving it an oddly jello like quality. Harry pushed harder than before. The magic swelled within him so greatly the last time he yelled that he felt himself loosing control.

Something cold crept inside Harry and he realized that it was panic. He struggled hard for a moment, pushing against the flood of magic that was too strong for him. He had not been ready! He had not waited long enough before trying next! He shouldn't have done it!

The magic pressed harder as though sensing his weakness. He could not hold it back! He struggled harder, willing the magic to go back, but the panic was rising in him. He tried to push it back down, but even as he tried, his concentration slipped from the magic at hand and it suddenly came on in a rush.

He felt the edges of his mind grow black. He was falling, the magic was smothering him! It was becoming harder to breathe...

He wasn't aware of it at first but a yell had sprung to his throat. He fell to his knees, his hands practically glued to the wall. He couldn't let go! The magic was too strong...

A hand grabbed him roughly though he was so close to unconsciousness that he hardly realized what was happening to him. He felt another hand grab his own and felt a strong presence next to him, taking some of the load from the magic. He pressed harder and the magic flowed from him in great waves, into the walls, strengthening them.

Quite suddenly the magic was gone and his mind went blank. He fell to the floor, hardly conscious of the figure next to him, falling along with him. The next second he wasn't aware of anything at all...

* * *

Harry felt drained. He felt as though all strength that he might have once had, had been sucked from his body. He just wanted to lie there on there forever. The object beneath him was cold.

Cold?

Memories suddenly filled him and he struggled to his feet. The magic! What had happened? It had been too strong...

Harry's eye landed on the figure next to him and he fell to his knees as the strength left him again. Grander...

Harry turned over the unconscious man next to him and felt for a pulse. What had he done? Why was he there? He hadn't told anyone he was coming! Grander should have been safely asleep!

Panic rose in Harry again and he felt desperately for a pulse. It was there, rather weaker than usual, but still there.

"Grander!" Harry practically yelled, shaking him roughly, trying vainly to wake him. "What did you do?"

Grander did not respond. Harry felt his forehead. It was cold and clammy to the touch. Harry felt a horrible emptiness slowly creep inside him. He had to get Grander to a hospital wing and quickly.

But they couldn't do anything for him. They couldn't do anything of proper use.

Harry looked down at the unconscious man and, with a snarl of sudden anger, placed his hand on his chest, concentrating hard.

The magic was not there. Harry pulled and pulled and muttered constantly under his breath spells and incantations, anything to make the magic some so he could help Grander...

Nothing came. He was empty. He had no magic left in him he had used up his supply in the effort last night. Fighting back the horrible despair welling in him, Harry stumbled to his feet again. He attempted fruitlessly to lift Grander but he was too weak.

Harry stumbled toward the door. He had to get help!

"H—Harry?"

Harry whirled around and ran back to his fallen friend.

"Why did you come?" Harry asked, almost angrily. "You shouldn't have! I told you it was too dangerous!"

"You," Grander tried to sit up and Harry did not stop him. "You sounded like you needed help."

"How did you know I was coming?" Harry asked, helping him to his feet as he attempted to stand.

"I saw the portraits outside the common room," Grander said. He leaned heavily on Harry, who had forgotten his own weakness in light of Grander's troubles. They slowly made their way to the door. "I figured I'd know where you were going so I hurried down. I only found you when you started to yell..."

"I should have waited," Harry said bitterly. "I should have and you told me and I didn't listen..."

"I doubt it would have made a difference," Grander said, shaking his head. "By all reports you've always been headstrong. But Harry," he suddenly stopped and Harry slowed to a stop as well. "You yelled the word three times. It looked to me as if you cast the same charm as many times as you said the word."

Harry didn't look at him. He couldn't.

"I wanted to strengthen the castle as much as I could," he said, looking at him feet. "Normally I couldn't have done it. I just wasn't properly prepared."

"I'll say," Grander said. They started walking again. Harry began to realize that Grander was rather heavy and he tried hard not to think about it.

"Where are we going?" Grander asked as they found themselves out of the dungeons and in the Great Hall.

"Hospital Wing, I suppose," Harry said. He was breathing rather heavily.

"Right," Grander said. He paused and looked at the long flight of steps they would be required to climb. "Are you sure?"

Harry was thinking along the same lines. "I know a short cut," he said. He started in a different direction, crossing his fingers that it was still there.

He stopped in front of a wall and looked at it. "We have to go through there," he explained to Grander. "I only hope there's enough magic in the school to keep it working."

"There are secret passageways at Hogwarts?" Grander asked blankly. Harry wanted to hit him.

"You stay here," Harry instructed. "I'll go through first."

"Through that solid wall?" Grander asked, looking as though he thought Harry's brains had been addled.

"It's only solid if you don't know it's a passageway," Harry said. He walked over to it and reached out a tentative hand. His fingers slid through the stone. He grinned. "It's still here."

Grander shook his head wonderingly. "You know, that would be one of the strangest things I had ever seen in my entire life time...but only before I met you. Let's go then. We can't sit here forever."

Harry couldn't argue with that despite the fact that at the moment, it sounded like fun. He helped to Grander to his feet and they started toward the wall.

"Wait!"

They stopped and looked around. Verda, the previous Headmistress that Harry had left in charge of the Hufflepuff common room, was in picture frame behind them, breathing heavily and Harry had the impression she had just run a long way.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked. As though on delayed reactions, his scar began to burn. All the color left his face. "No..."

"They're here," she said, practically crying. "I couldn't do anything. I sealed the Hufflepuffs inside their common room so no one can get in or out. I went to warn the others and I found you! We have to do something!"

"Verda!" Harry gasped. "I don't have any magic! I—I just used all of it for that stupid spell! What am I supposed to do?"

Verda shook her head helplessly. "I don't know! I'm just a portrait, for goodness's sake! I can't leave my frame!"

Something clicked on in Harry's head. "Unless you can..." he muttered. "Verda go tell the others. Tell them to seal their common rooms and report here. Go!"

Verda scampered. Grander's face had gone completely white. "They're here? Who's here? What's going on?"

"Voldemort," Harry said, he turned back to the wall.

"Voldemort?" Grander yelped. "Are you sure?"

"My scar is burning," Harry said, angry now that Voldemort should come at this exact moment. "It can't be anyone else."

"Your scar burns when Voldemort's around?" Grander asked.

"What exactly did those history books tell you?"

"Something about a sixth sense for danger," Grander said shrugging.

"It doesn't matter," Harry said. "If he knew to come now, he must have known that I would be defenseless tonight. There must be a spy in the building. Bloody hell! Why didn't I see this before?"

"What are we going to do?" Grander asked.

"We have to get as many people to this exact spot as we possibly can," Harry said. "You stay here. It will be faster if I go alone."

"I—" Grander stopped. There was no arguing with the truth behind those words. "Right. I'll tell the portraits where you've gone."

Harry nodded. The next second he stepped through the wall and found himself in the place he had clearly pictured in his mind—the staff quarters.

Harry began banging on the doors. Sleepy head poked out.

"What's the meaning of this?" snapped the headmistress angrily. "You again? Always causing trouble!"

"Voldemort's here," Harry said. "I can't stop him."

"What?" people were outside now, some were pulling on robes while others pulled out wands.

"I performed the strengthening spell tonight," Harry said. "I've nothing left!"

"What are we supposed to do?" asked a witch that Harry recognized as the one who taught Astronomy.

"Are you willing to fight?" Harry asked in all seriousness.

"What can we do?" asked the headmistress glaring at him. "If you really have performed the spell, then our only weapon, the technology, will be going crazy!"

"I can help you," Harry said. "But I need to know that you're willing to sacrifice yourselves for a moment if it means defending out school. There's no guarantee you'll make it out alive."

"I'll do it," said a wizard firmly. "What have we to loose?" He was followed by many others. Harry felt a surge of gratitude for there people. Even if the magic was not strong in them, at least they were willing to fight for a cause.

"We have to hurry," Harry said. "I know a shortcut to where we need to go."

The headmistress was frowning at him but he did not care. He was willing to look like an idiot if it meant Hogwarts would be saved.

Harry led them through the secret passageway and they followed without complaint, though some exchanged nervous glances. The second Harry was back to where Grander sat waiting, he grimaced. Voldemort was closer here and his scar burned fiercer.

Verda was already waiting for him with all the portraits that had not been confined to the Headmaster's office.

Harry was exceptionally glad to see Dumbledore among them, though he knew he would. Seeing the headmaster's calm face was certainly helping.

"What do you plan to do?" Dumbledore asked, though Harry was quite sure he already knew.

"We need wizards," Harry said, not only talking to Dumbledore but to everyone. "And these portraits are the most powerful wizards of their time."

"What, you want us to learn from them?" asked the person Harry knew to be Slytherin head of house. "In about three seconds?"

"No," Harry said, shaking his head. "But I am going to need—" He paused as his scar let out a particularly painful throb. "—I'm going to need them to fight Voldemort and obviously they can't do anything while they're portraits. There's a spell—"

"Too risky," cut in Verda. "You're not in good enough shape to handle that kind of magic."

"I have to try," Harry growled, fiercer than he intended.

"There's a spell," Grander prompted.

"Yes," Harry said, turning his attention back to the people waiting on him. "All I have to do is perform it once; then whoever I bring out of the frame can perform it again."

"Why do you need us?" asked a teacher.

"Because," Harry said quietly. "Their bodies are dead. There's no being for them to transfer their spirits." There was a collective mutter from the teachers. "It's only temporary," Harry said quickly. "You can instantly come back at any time. You see everything that's happening, but they have temporary control."

"I'll do it," said a witch suddenly, stepping forward. "I don't want to see my kids in danger."

Harry nodded. A few more people stepped forward. Harry didn't have time to see what happened to the others.

"Professor Dumbledore," Harry said. Dumbledore walked to the nearest frame. Harry took a deep breath. This was going to require magic and he didn't have much he could use. He'd have to get it right the first time.

He placed one hand on the first person's head and his other on the top of Dumbledore's frame. Taking a deep and shuddering breath—which he was sure would not inspire confidence—he suddenly yelled, "Echanger!"

A trickle of magic came to him which instantly turned into more. Harry pressed harder. He needed more magic...

The magic came to his bidding, but his body was not yet ready to handle more and he yelled, but kept his feet. It felt as though something was over him, wringing him out as though to squeeze the final juices from him. He felt old and weak and he didn't know how long he could hold out. The next second it finished and he fell to the floor.

The edges of his vision were turning black. The man bent down next to him and looked at him, worry in his eyes. "Harry? Are you alright?"

"Dumbledore?" Harry asked, trying to bring the man into focus. The man nodded. "Finish it," Harry gasped out. "Bring the others. I'll be fine." He coughed suddenly. He whipped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and saw blood. He fell back against the wall, breathing hard. The man had not moved. He was looking at Harry worriedly.

"There's nothing you can do!" Harry yelled, glaring at Dumbledore. "Bring in the others! I didn't do this so the next second Voldemort could take over Hogwarts!"

Dumbledore nodded and turned away, seemingly reluctant. Harry only heard the beginnings of a spell before he was completely unconscious.


	16. A Few More Heroics

Chapter 15: A Few More Heroics

Harry came to later. He opened blurry eyes to see someone standing over him. He blinked repeatedly and the person came into sharp focus. He held back a yell. A Death Eater!

"I recognize you," said a woman's voice from behind the mask. What felt like an ice cube slid into Harry's stomach. The woman removed her mask and looked at Harry with a superior look on her face. "But I see that you don't recognize me."

"Lestrange," Harry spat.

If the woman was surprised, she did not show it. "Very good, Little Potter. I see you're not completely worthless."

"Unlike some in the immediate vicinity," Harry growled.

"Come now, Potter," Lestrange said casually. Harry suddenly found a wand in his face. "Name calling is so petty."

"Are you going to curse me?" Harry asked, staring at the wand in his face with no fear in his eyes.

"They told me you were bright," Lestrange said sarcastically. "But even I pale in comparison."

"You always have." Harry said. He wasn't going to show that he was afraid—not to Belatrix. "And do you honestly believe that I won't kill you before the words ever leave your mouth?"

"Big talk, Potter," she said, smirking. "Especially since I found you unconscious on the floor."

Harry had no response for this. Instead he said, "I suppose you met my welcome party?"

Harry had the satisfaction of seeing Belatrix scowl. "Those pathetic teachers did some damage."

"Your master isn't the only one with the ability to bring back figures from the past," Harry said smirking.

"Indeed?" Belatrix said. She actually sounded interested. "So you finally did it, eh? I wouldn't have thought you had it in you. Stealing souls seems so beneath you, Potter."

"There are other ways of bringing back the people of the past," Harry said, his smirk never leaving his face. "Ways that aren't dark magic."

"I'll have to tell my master of this recent development," Belatrix said musingly. She turned suddenly back to Harry. "But I shall have to kill you first. Goodbye, Boy-Who-Lived."

She raised her wand over her head.

"Expelliarmus!"

Bellatrix's wand went flying. Harry looked up to see it resting in the hands of a boy—a student!

"What—" Bellatrix asked in amazement.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Expelliarmus!"

While one curse is rather harmless, repeated curses can cause serious damage. Bellatrix was flown against the wall and Harry winced when he heard her head crack hard. He looked to his rescuer and saw that the boy seemed to be only an accomplice to the spell caster. Hannah, the girl who had found out before any other that he was Harry Potter replaced her wand with a flourish.

"I learned that from the mysterious substitute," she said grimly to the unconscious form.

The boy pocketed Lestrange's wand and the two students looked at Harry with rather smug looks on their faces.

"Need some help?" the boy asked. He held out a hand which Harry took. Harry was pulled to his feet. He found himself eye to eye with the boy. The kid couldn't be more than 16—like the age Harry appeared.

"What are you doing out here?" Harry asked blankly, looking at the two. "You're supposed to be locked in you common room."

"And miss this?" the boy asked, raising his eyebrows. "Ow!"

Harry did not miss Hannah stepping on his toes.

"We were locked outside," Hannah explained. "We came out and couldn't get back in." She sent a warning look to her friend. Harry's eyes narrowed. They were leaving something out.

"How did you get out?"

The boy shrugged. "We just came out. It was a while ago. We were going to—"

"The kitchens," Hannah said quickly. "We were hungry."

"A coordinated effort?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised. "I didn't think the boys could make it up the girls' staircase."

"I went up his," Hannah said. Suddenly she became defensive. "And it's good we did. Otherwise you would be dead about now."

"Thanks," Harry said grudgingly.

"What's happening?" the boy asked.

"Death Eaters," Harry said, looking at Bellatrix. "Nice work with the wand."

"Thanks," Hannah said, beaming. "You taught me."

"I seem to remember that you already knew the spell when we were in class," Harry said. "Anyway, I'm magic-less at the moment. You don't think you can tie her up, do you?"

Hannah looked nervous. "I—I've never really tried anything like that. Conjuring, you know."

"Then let's have an emergency lesson," Harry said. "You—" He said to the boy.

"Ricky," the boy said helpfully.

"Ricky," Harry agreed. "Keep a watch, will you? And keep your wand out. Maybe by some freak chance you can protect yourself if you need to." Ricky nodded and pulled out his wand.

"Okay," Harry said, turning to Hannah. He wavered a little as his legs buckled under the sudden movement. He grabbed the wall for support. "Wand," he said. Hannah's wand was already in her hand.

"The spell's corde," Harry said. "It's honestly one of the easiest spells to do. A ton of people in my time could do it without even saying the words."

"I think I'll try it with the words first," Hannah said uneasily.

"Good idea," Harry heard Ricky mutter from where he stood keeping watch at the other end of the hall.

Hannah either didn't hear him or ignored him. "And I'm conjuring ropes, right?"

"Just do it!" Ricky hissed.

Hannah glared at him. She took a deep breath. "Corde!" she said louder than Harry would have liked. To all three people's utter astonishment, cords flew out of the end of Hannah's wand and wrapped tightly around the unconscious woman.

"Come on," Harry said hurriedly.

Hannah didn't move. "I actually did it," she breathed. "And the first try! That's never happened to me before!"

"We still have to move!" Harry said, snapping her out of her astonishment. She nodded and, with a last look at the bound Belatrix, turned to Harry. "Where are we going?"

Harry thought for a minute. At the moment anywhere seemed better than where they were. "The hospital wing," he said after a minute. "All the students should be locked in their dorms. The hospital wing will be unprotected."

Hannah and Ricky nodded and the three of them headed in the right direction. Harry had only walked a few paces before he was breathing hard. Ricky and Hannah were forced to support him if they planned to make any headway.

"Harry—Mr. Potter, sir," Hannah said suddenly. "Why exactly is it that you don't have any magic?"

Harry cringed. He shushed her hurriedly. "If they don't know that I don't have magic and you don't tell them, they'll think I'm still a threat!"

"Sorry," Hannah said meekly. After a few more minutes, Hannah asked again, though more quietly.

"I used it all," Harry said simply. "I haven't got it back yet."

"How do you use all your magic?" Ricky asked, a trace of fear coming into his voice that he tried very hard to hide.

"Too many big spells at once," Harry said simply. "Don't worry about that though. You've got quite a long ways to go before you reach that level."

Ricky snorted. "Like I can ever do anything like you can do."

"You can," Harry said firmly, though the affect was rather diminished by the fact that he had to say it in between tired breaths as his tired legs attempted to support him.

Ricky didn't say anything more about it, though he looked as though he thought Harry was being stupid.

"Sorry for asking," Hannah said suddenly as they attempted to climb a staircase. "But if you're not protecting the castle, who is?"

"Don't you worry about that," Harry said, trying to sound encouraging. "I've got it under control."

"How does one have a Voldemort attack under control?" Ricky asked disbelievingly. Then, as though he remembered who he was talking to and why the person he was talking to needed the support of two people to help him walk, he swallowed hard.

"I called in reinforcements," Harry said simply. "It was a last minute plan, really, but I think it will work fine."

They said no more on the subject. Soon they arrived at the hospital wing. Harry waved them away irritably and the two students quickly released him to walk on his own. He carefully pushed open a door.

The white room looked as it should. Nothing was out of place.

A squeal came from the bed.

"Harry!"

Harry blinked as he recognized the small figure on the bed—Elizabeth Wently.

Harry hushed her quickly and tried to appear not to lean on the door too heavily. "Make me a promise?" Harry asked hurriedly.

"I have!" Elizabeth said happily. "And I've been trying to work on it! I was doing good yesterday! My frog—"

"Not that promise," Harry said quickly. He felt rather bad when she looked hurt but he couldn't take it back now and this was important. "There are very bad men here and I want you to be as quiet as you possibly can so they don't know you're here."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide and she nodded. "I promise."

Harry's eyes flickered. Those words...they struck something in his memory. He shook it off. This wasn't the time for reminiscing.

"Isn't that cute," said a voice behind Harry. In an instant, Harry had slammed the door shut and his wand was in his hand. He whirled to face his opponent.

"Malfoy," Harry said calmly. His eyes swept over the two bound and gagged teenagers on the floor. Hannah was glaring at Malfoy and struggling to get in a sitting position. Malfoy noticed her and kicked her hard in the side. She stopped struggling and curled up.

"Has some Gryffindor, that one does," Malfoy commented. His eyes fell onto Ricky who seemed to be trying hard to be still. "And some Slytherin in the other."

Harry's eyes hardened though Ricky didn't seem to see the insult in it, though his eyes narrowed at the tone in Malfoy's voice. Apparently Hermione's quest to promote good interhouse relations paid off.

"They're Potters," Harry said. "Both of them." He remembered suddenly which class he had had them in.

"Potter, eh?" Malfoy said, a smirk coming to his lips. "Looks like our dear hero got rather ambitious if he's already achieved a house under his name."

"You seem to be a little behind on the time," Harry commented. "Happened long after I was dead."

"Indeed," Malfoy said. "Still, I have not come to chat. I have come to kill you."

Harry sighed as though the subject was wearisome. He spoke his next words in a monotone as though he was repeating them for the hundredth time. "And what makes you think that after your wonderful master couldn't do it, you can?"

"Because I know how much magic it takes to bring a portrait's spirit into a body," Malfoy said, smirking. "And I also observe the fact that you are clearly trying to hide. You're leaning heavily on that door."

Harry's eyes hardened but he did not remove himself from the door. He twirled his wand idly between his fingers. "If you believe that a simple spell such as the one I performed to bring the portraits out of their frames is enough to rob me of all my strength, then you are quite clearly a bigger fool than I originally took you for." It was true. Harry could have performed the same spell for every portrait and still have enough magic to fight Voldemort—if not necessarily win.

Malfoy's smile did not falter. "And I suppose you defeated Belatrix by hitting her repeatedly with the Disarming Charm? Doesn't seem your style, Potter. Besides, I heard your little conversation with these two troublesome students. You cannot convince me of something other than what I know to be fact."

"For one as powerful as me," Harry said, he suddenly sounded quite dangerous. "A few minutes is all the time it takes for me to regain enough magic to wipe the floor with the likes of you."

Malfoy's smirk faltered but he hitched it back instantly. "You think I am a fool? I have already—" The next second Malfoy yelled.

Through a coordinated effort, Ricky and Hannah, from their spots on the floor, had kicked as hard as they could as Malfoy's legs, cause his knees to buckle and fall to the ground.

Harry was ready in an instant and had cursed Malfoy before his hit the floor, knocking him unconscious. He let out a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He should stop using his magic and give it time to build up again. That had been necessary though. He fell to his knees and untied the tiny bonds on the ropes binding the two students.

Hannah rubbed her wrists when she got out.

"Good work," Harry said approvingly.

Ricky rolled his eyes. "We only kicked him. Apparently that's how Muggles fight all the time."

Hannah nodded.

"She's Muggle born," Ricky said simply. "She knows these kinds of things."

Harry nodded, then he blinked. "And without magic, how do wizards fight?"

"Technology," Ricky said as though it was obvious. "Of course, I don't see how we can do it now, seeing as how you've screwed up the entire electronic system."

"So Muggles are still kicking while the wizards are using technology," Harry said blankly. "Does that make sense and I just missed something the first time you said it?"

Hannah shook her head. "Don't ask me. They do things weird here."

Harry shrugged as well. He looked at the unconscious form of Lucius Malfoy. "Tie him up, will you?"

Hannah nodded and pulled out her wand.

Ricky fidgeted impatiently. "How long is this battle thing going to last anyway?"

"Until someone wins?" Harry said, in what he knew was an unhelpful way.

Ricky sighed. "And they outlawed Quidditch because of violence..."

Harry had to grin.


	17. Long Forgotten Truths

Chapter 16: Long Forgotten Truths

Harry found that he didn't think of himself as distinctly brave after the event had finished. The whole battle was rather melodramatic for him. No one else managed to make it to the hospital wing and he spent the time talking to patients, trying to calm them down and assuring them that everything would be fine.

When a man did come in range of them, Hannah shot ropes and bound him tightly. When Harry saw who it was, he quickly undid them.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Harry said quickly. "How is everything going? What happened?"

The man holding Dumbledore's spirit held up a hand to still Harry's questions. "He is gone. Tom fled from this place when he learned what you had done to protect it."

"Figures," Harry said bitterly. He tried hard and failed to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He had rather been hoping that, though it seemed hardly possible, Dumbledore had managed to defeat Voldemort.

Dumbledore nodded. "There was nothing I could do, Harry. Channeling too much magic through such an inexperienced body might have killed him. We had our hands full keeping the Death Eaters back. And apparently you have too." He spotted Lucius Malfoy's bound form

"A combined effort, really," Harry said dully. "I didn't have enough energy to do it myself. Hannah here tied him up. All it was was a stunner."

Hannah looked at her feet when Harry mentioned her, clearly remembering that she had tied Dumbledore up as well.

"She could perform it without teaching?" Dumbledore asked, looking at the girl with interested expression on his face.

"I taught it to her back there," Harry said. "Got into a jam with the reincarnated Belatrix Lestrange."

Dumbledore nodded, unsurprised. "It fits that those should be the two that sought you out. Did they say anything?"

Harry frowned. "Just a bunch of crap about how wonderful it would be to kill me."

Dumbledore nodded, his expression not changing.

"Why?" Harry asked, suddenly suspicious.

"I was simply wondering," Dumbledore said vaguely.

"I'm not a child anymore," Harry said harshly, though quieter than before. "And yet you still see it fit to tell me only what you think I should know."

Dumbledore sighed. "Now is not the time, Harry. Most of the other Headmasters and Headmistresses have already returned to their frames. There were no casualties, though several injuries."

"It's never the time is it?" Harry asked, no longer troubling to keep his voice down. "It wasn't the time until it was after the time to tell me about the prophecy, was it? And Sirius died because you withheld information! Who's going to have to die this time? Is it really so important that you would risk that?"

"It is irrelevant," Dumbledore said, fixing him with an icy stare. "It will have no effect, one way or the other, on the final battle."

"I don't care!" Harry said harshly. "And you don't know that. What if Voldemort knows and I don't and he springs it on me half way and it's so shocking that I hesitate and he blasts me into a hundred pieces?"

"I can see that this is going nowhere," Dumbledore said, his voice not harsh but Harry could feel the annoyance about him. "It is time for me to go."

"No!" Harry yelled. The next second the man blinked bewildered around at the people in front of him.

"Where-" He began.

Harry turned angrily on his heel and marched off in the other direction.

* * *

"Dumbledore!" Harry shouted. He pushed open the heavy oak doors without a thought and stood, feet spread apart in a defensive stance before the wall of portraits.

"He's not here," said another wizard vaguely. "He said he was going to over see the people at the hospital wing."

Harry swore loudly and the portraits looked at him in alarm. "Probably passed him on the way here," he muttered. He turned to go but stopped suddenly, something coming to him. "Wait a minute," Harry said slowly, looking at the other portraits in a new light.

"What?" asked a witch.

Harry tried to make his voice sound casual. "Who exactly was it that made Dumbledore's portrait?"

"We really shouldn't be the ones to tell you," said a wizard uncomfortably. "Not if Dumbledore so clearly decided to withhold information."

"Look," Harry said, his temper rising yet again. "I don't care if Dumbledore doesn't want me to know. He obviously still sees me as 16. Otherwise he wouldn't have led me here to where you are, and where it only took me a minute to remember that you know as well."

"Dumbledore works in strange ways," said a witch vaguely.

"This is ridiculous," said a voice suddenly that Harry knew quite well. He looked to the speaker and Phineas Nigellus looked right back.

"What's ridiculous?" Harry asked.

"The whole thing!" Phineas said. "What's the point in not telling him? It's not going to affect things one way or the other and if by some freak chance it does, it will be in our favor because Voldemort's Death Eaters won't have information that was withheld here!"

"Don't tell him!" squealed a witch.

"You, Harry Potter, made that portrait of Dumbledore's," Phineas said. A few of the portraits yelled angrily at him but Phineas did not stop. "You made that portrait and hung it on the wall. You disappeared without going out the door and setting a new password. It was you. Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Harry looked at Phineas in disbelief. "I'm not an idiot, you know. I remember everything about my past. I never made that portrait. I would have remembered. And you can't Disapparate on the grounds!" Harry added as an afterthought.

"Of course you wouldn't have the memory, would you?" Phineas said dismissively. "And you didn't Disapparate; you broke down then rearranged your chemical structure. It's a completely different thing."

"I don't know how to do that," Harry said. Phineas's story was becoming more preposterous with every word.

"That's because the Harry Potter that made the portrait," Phineas said slyly, clearly loving Harry's confusion. "Is a different Harry Potter than the person standing before us."

"Speak plainly!" Harry hissed. "Stop talking in riddles!"

"That's enough, Phineas!" snapped a wizard. "You've told him enough to get him thoroughly confused without adding to the problem!"

"He's going to have to know all of it if he's to know any," argued a witch. "You know what it's like to be left in the dark! He's done enough to prove that he's ready to know! He deserves to know!"

"And how does he deserve that?" retorted the wizard. "It doesn't make any difference!"

"Just tell me!" Harry practically yelled.

The portraits had quieted again. Everyone was looking at Phineas. Phineas sighed. "Apparently I'm stuck with story telling hour. Alright then. Let me tell you a story. There once was a boy who was prophesized to be the match of the most evil dark wizard in all of time. He defeated this Dark Lord when he was but a year old, loosing his parents and being forced to live with his horrible Aunt and Uncle."

Harry tapped his foot impatiently. He knew this.

"He went to school for years, having an adventure at the end of every year until the fourth year, the Dark Lord that he had defeated so long ago rose again. In his sixth year, however, the Dark Lord really made a mark on the young boy's life. He killed the families of his two best friends-"

"That's not true!" Harry protested. "He only killed Hermione's parents!"

"Are you going to listen to my tale or not?" Phineas said, irritated at being interrupted.

"You're making things up," Harry said, annoyed as well. "That never happened!"

"Hush," whispered a witch. "Let him tell the story."

Harry looked at her in disbelief but dutifully closed his mouth to finish listening to the story.

Phineas continued, making a distinct show to prove that Harry's interruption had cost him precious time. "Anyway, the boy not only lost his friends' families, but throughout the year, he lost more-the headmaster, Remus Lupin, and even..." Phineas paused for effect. "Wound up killing his friend with his own wand in the battle against Voldemort."

"What?" Harry burst out. "Are you talking about Hermione? That never happened! Lupin is-was-still alive as well! And Sirius came back in the end!"

"Does it really take you that long," Phineas said quietly. "To think that perhaps it isn't you I'm talking about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Listen."

Again Harry closed his mouth, curiosity getting the better of him.

"When the final battle was over, the boy's only friends that were left alive in the world were Ronald Weasley and his younger sister. Even those two he shunned, thinking that every time they looked at him they blamed him, and every time he saw them he remembered those he couldn't save. He lost himself in his studies, learning more and more until he was practically a conduit for magic. He seemed to exist only so that he could destroy the remaining Death Eaters."

Phineas paused for breath before continuing on.

"Then one day he fought Death Eaters and was accidentally pushed through a portal. And where did that portal lead?"

"Here!" squeaked a witch. Phineas cast her an annoyed glance and she shushed instantly, wanting more of the story.

"He appeared in his past. When he saw where he was, he concentrated on trying to get back. He knew that if he tried to help mend the past, that his younger self would not know the pain that he felt was needed to defeat the Dark Lord forever. But his appearance did not go unnoticed. There were two that sensed his coming."

"Dumbledore and Voldemort," Harry guessed, still not sure he believed him.

"Exactly," Phineas said. "And though this visitor from the future tried hard to stay out of the way, to stay invisible, he could not and he was sought after constantly by the Dark Lord and occasionally by Dumbledore himself when the younger Potter boy fell during an attack on the castle to a curse that he did not know how to heal..."

~ Harry's mouth suddenly dropped. "Wait a minute," he said. "My broken leg healed on its own, Malfoy's acting more like Wormtail, and for some reason, I have this memory of being knocked out in Professor Lupin's classroom before this all started. That's to say nothing about this weird voice in my head that seems to know more about this than I do..."~

"He told me," Harry muttered. "He was the one who told me that it was a dream..."

"I don't know the details," Phineas said dismissively.

"I remember," Harry said slowly.

"It was this Harry that made Dumbledore's portrait when you were still unconscious in the hospital wing. He disappeared and did not unlock the door. Does that answer your question? Are you able to continue with your life now that you know? Because there are more lives that your own hanging in the balance and I for one am not looking forward to being a portrait on a wall that the kids point at because the headmaster got so annoyed with me and my insistence on learning more magic in school that he put me out in the hallway."

Harry wasn't sure what to do now that he knew. His voice cracked a little as he spoke next "And what happened to him when he went back?"

"No idea," Phineas said, shrugging. "Probably made friends with his old pals again for all I know and care."

"That's horrible!" exclaimed a witch. "Look what he'd been through and with no one to help him! I'm surprised he got on as well as he did!"

"If we had been really lucky," Phineas muttered. "We would have gotten that Harry instead of this one."

Harry frowned. "I thought I was pretty good."

"You're nothing," Phineas said firmly. "Compared to the sheer power of your future counterpart."

Harry sat down wearily in his chair, seemingly to have just remembered that he was still tired. Perhaps it would have been better if he had never known...

* * *

Harry dimly heard the door open. It took a moment for his mind to register that the person entering wanted to talk to him. Actually, Grander was talking to him; it just took Harry a moment longer than usual to get the words from his ears to his brain.

"Are you okay?" Grander asked.

Harry blinked his eyes quickly and pulled himself back fully into the present. "Fine." he said shortly.

"Are you sure?" Grander asked, concern in his voice. "You don't look fine."

"I'm fine," Harry snapped. "What did you come here to tell me?"

Grander was taken aback. "Well, nothing really. I just came to make sure you were okay. The professor that Dumbledore inhabited said that you left in something of a huff when it was all over."

Harry nodded mutely. He wasn't really in the mood to go over everything again. "It's nothing. What's happening downstairs?"

Grander shrugged. "Apparently those portraits were as powerful as you said they were. They didn't kill a single person, but there are about 20 unconscious. The rest left."

Harry was slowly bringing his mind back to the present. "There's a spy, Grander. A spy at Hogwarts."

"Why do you say that?"

"How else would Voldemort know that this of all days would be the day I was most vulnerable?"

"Lucky guess?" Grander suggested. "It's not like you told anyone you were leaving. How could they have known?"

"You figured it out," Harry pointed out.

Grander shrugged. "I'm a little better informed than a lot of people. Besides," he shifted uncomfortably. "One of the portraits tipped me off."

Harry's mouth opened slightly. "The portraits..."

"You don't think," Grander asked incredulously. "But they're bound to serve the Headmaster of the school! They can't go against your wishes!"

"I'm not headmaster," Harry said, shaking his head. "They did what I asked because they wanted to. They had no reason to serve me." He couldn't believe it, but it made complete sense.

"We're not sure about this," Grander insisted. "It might have been someone in the castle. Voldemort may have promised not to hurt their families if they went along with his and they believed him and gave him information they got out of the portraits."

Harry shook his head. "The portraits have been sealed in the Headmaster's office and you and I are the only ones who knew the password. They would have only had time to tell Voldemort tonight and the force was well organized meaning Voldemort had more than a matter of hours to prepare."

Grander ran his fingers through his hair, a habit he seemed to have picked up from Harry. "I don't understand? Who would do this? Who could do this? You just said the portraits couldn't leave the tower!"

"They...sort of can," Harry amended. "If they have another portrait of themselves somewhere. They can travel back and forth between frames."

"Then it could have been anyone!" Grander maintained firmly. "Any person might have another picture."

"I doubt it," Harry said. "After all, the portraits are centuries old. There aren't a lot of people who know that the portraits could leave frames. You didn't even know and you're the History professor! It's my theory that only someone from the past would know and the only people from the past, other than myself, are Voldemort's supporters."

Grander frowned. "That Phineas Nigellus guy has always had a suspicious look about him."

Harry smiled a little. "He's not very nice, but, as my godfather used to tell me, 'the world isn't divided into good people and Death Eaters'. I think Phineas is loyal. He may be rude, but he's-"

"Slytherin," Grander cut in. "There isn't a lot of house rivalry nowadays, but Slytherins are still thought to be the rigid self survivors. They're cunning. They looked out for themselves first, most of the time."

Harry frowned thoughtfully. "I suppose that's true, but if you're going to put down each houses faults, then you might accuse any of the houses. Hufflepuffs aren't that brave and might be more easily threatened. Ravenclaws seek knowledge and the fastest way to learn forgotten knowledge is to, unfortunately, to join with Voldemort. They have more teachers. Gryffindor...well...Gryffindors..."

"Charge head long into things without seeing where they're going," Grander supplied with a grin. "Easy to get capture and placed under a spell if you don't know what you're up against."

Harry nodded. "So basically-"

"What about Potters?" Grander asked.

"What?"

Grander grinned. "You have a house too, you know. What about the Potters?"

"I-I don't know anything about the Potters," Harry admitted. "What are they picked for?"

"Quid skill."

"What?"

"That's an ongoing joke," Grander said with a sheepish grin. "The Potters' always have a good Quid team. They say that they must be chosen by that alone. No, the Potters are chosen for their determination. They'll do anything achieve their goals." He sighed. "And they always do it the hard way, just to prove they can."

"Sounds rather like Slytherin," Harry said dryly.

"By no means!" Grander explained. "The Slytherins are... well, to be bluntly honest, a little self centered. Do not confuse determination with ambition. The Potters are a little less...what's the word?...driven. Yet when they set their mind to something, they get it done in the end, or so they say."

"Then the Potter houses' strength is also their weakness," Harry said thoughtfully. "Determination is good, but if there's no purpose behind it, it can lead anywhere."

Grander nodded.

"So, basically we're back to step one," Harry said.

"Step two, actually," Grander grinned when Harry sent him a questioning look. "Step one is, 'A spy'. Step two is, 'The spy's a portrait'."

"Step two then," Harry said. "That doesn't change our position."

"So we have to bag the spy," Grander said. "Oh, also, the Minister found out about the attack. He wasn't happy that the Ministry members were left out."

"Were they?" Harry asked blankly.

"They've been staying in the common rooms and the portraits locked them in," Grander explained.

"What does he expect us to do?" Harry asked, his temper heating up. "Let them get themselves killed?"

Grander shrugged. "I don't know. But you've got another lesson coming up for the teachers and Ministry members and I've been practicing. I never knew that magic could be so much fun! I mean, there's always the chance you won't do it right, but I've only blasted a hole in the door once."

"You said, 'Alohmara' instead of 'Alohomora'," Harry said vaguely. "Completely different spell."

"How do you know?"

"Because that spell will knock a hole in the door," Harry said. "I suppose it's not going to be a lot of help to tell you that I could perform the spell in my first year."

Grander shrugged. "Different times."

"Okay," Harry said, standing up. "Let's go see what the Minister has to say about the world."

"I'm not sure if he's here or not," Grander said. "I just heard that he's not very happy."


	18. Suspects and Spies

Chapter 17: Suspects and Spies

"There were no casualties!" Harry protested. He was rather surprised to find himself on the defensive, but Crocker seemed genuinely angry.

"That's not the issue! I sent those people here to protect the castle from Voldemort's supporters and you're not letting them do their job!"

"And who do you expect to protect your people from Voldemort?" Harry retorted.

"They can defend themselves!"

"Not against the likes of those Death Eaters, they can't," Harry argued. "They're defenseless."

"And where were you when all this was going on?"

At this point Harry hesitated. He was rather ashamed to admit that he had hidden the entire time while others did his dirty work-regardless of the circumstances of the hiding. "I was protecting two students that had wandered out of their dorms," Harry supplies lamely. The truth, of course, is that the students did most of the defending themselves.

"Two students over the entire school?" Crocker asked in disbelief.

"I wasn't in any condition to do any fighting," Harry said, annoyed. "I'm still not. I put up another bloody ward and it took my strength. If I had fought I would have been killed instantly."

Instead of fuming as Harry had expected, Crocker seemed to calm down. He leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "So Voldemort timed his attack to the exact moment you would be at your weakest."

Harry said nothing.

"Do you perhaps think that he was receiving information from inside the school?"

Harry nodded. "I suspect the portraits in the headmaster's office. Not the one the Headmistress is using now, but the old one. They're the only ones who knew I was going."

"Portraits?" Crocker asked. "Talking portraits?"

Harry nodded. "They have the ability to move between their portraits. If there is perhaps another portrait of the same person, the same portrait can visit both frames. If Voldemort has one in his possession, that may be how he's communicating."

"And there is only one person for both frames?" Crocker pressed. "So the other frame would be empty?"

Harry nodded, small lights beginning to click on in his mind.

"I think there's something you need to see," Crocker said.

* * *

Harry found himself in the Department of Mysteries. He was surprised that time had had no affect on the name, though it had on the hallway. Crocker clicked on the lights as soon as they entered the corridor. Red carpet was on the floors and the walls were painted white with portraits and paintings hung in different places. None were moving.

Crocket opened that too familiar door and led Harry into the circular room.

"Now don't be alarmed," Crocker began.

"When the walls start spinning," Harry finished for him. "I suppose time doesn't change everything."

"Actually," Crocker admitted. "It's a plate on a spinning disk. The magic wore off centuries ago and no one was sure how to replace it. See? There they go."

Apparently, however, the spinning had no affect on Crocker's sense of direction. He opened a door. Harry did not recognize it at all. It seemed to be filled with every single useless knick knack he had ever seen, and quite a few he hadn't. A few broomsticks littered the room as well as a trunk that looked suspiciously like it contained Quidditch balls. A bookcase stood against the wall filled with old spell books and, sitting on top of it, was what looked like a silvery invisibility cloak. Tables lined the room, filled with all kinds of odd items. In one corner was a large grandfather clock, not unlike the one the Weasleys' had owned all those years ago.

Crocker looked where he ad staring and nodded. "There are only two of those left in existence. The people on the hands are employees. They're trying to uncover how it works."

"Did they think to try magic?" Harry asked sarcastically.

Crocker shrugged. "I may be Minister, but not even I know everything that goes on down here. The other is owned by a wizarding family. They have refused to give it up, and we certainly can't force them." Crocker sighed. "Old family heirloom, you understand. But here' s what we came here for."

Harry pulled his eyes from the clock and turned to see a blank picture frame hanging on the wall. "Originally we thought it was simply a frame," Crocker said.

"But it kept making noises," Harry said, nodding. "There used to be one just like it in my godfather's house. "Whose picture is this?" he asked the frame.

"Eh?" said a voice. Harry's eyes widened slightly. None other than Phineas Nigellus walked into the frame. "Harry? What are you doing at the Ministry of Magic?"

"I could ask you the same question," Harry said pointedly.

"I'm here because that stupid house fell to the ground!" Phineas said, annoyed. "That was a long time ago, of course. You can imagine the surprise of those Muggles when a ruined house suddenly appeared where there wasn't one. Fortunately, my frame was strongly magical enough to resist and, when they found it, they brought it here."

Harry frowned. "Why didn't you tell me that your other frame was still around?"

Phineas frowned at Harry's accusatory tone. "Very few, if any people ever come into this room of old and forgotten junk. I didn't think that it was worth mentioning."

"What if I wanted to use this frame and put it somewhere else so that I could have you watch somewhere of importance?"

Phineas snorted. "That would be most unwise. If anyone other than yourself saw my frame and heard it make random noises, they would be terrified out of their mind and avoid the place, if not burn my portrait."

Harry frowned at the logic behind this, but that didn't ease his suspicion. "There's a spy at Hogwarts," he said, getting to the point. "I was thinking that perhaps it was a portrait since no one else knew that I planned to strengthen the castle."

"Obviously," Phineas said, unimpressed. "And I suppose now you think it's me because you found my portrait. Well, I have news for you. No one comes into this room unless they have to and even if they did, I would most probably not notice, or not care if they did. Everything that's happening is at Hogwarts. Why should I desire to come to such an empty and deserted room such as you have here?"

Harry scowled. "I'm trying to discover the spy, Phineas. Right now you're my only lead and I'm not going to give it up for a few choice words. If you have been giving information to Voldemort-"

"-which I haven't-" Phineas cut in sharply.

"-then I would appreciate it if you simply told me because you know that I'll figure it out in the end." Harry finished, pretending as though Phineas had never spoken.

"Harry," Phineas said calmly. "I can't honestly claim to know that I know how Slytherins act in this time, but I do know that every Slytherin in my time acted for self preservation before any other. Why would I fight for Voldemort if I knew that he was going to lose?"

"As touching as your faith in me is," Harry replied, just as calmly. "I also know Slytherins and I know that they lie quite easily. If you honestly expect-"

"Now wait just a minute!" Crocker said suddenly. "I don't know what house you're both talking about, but Slytherins aren't what you're making them out to be! Sure, we're ambitious, but that doesn't mean we have automatic ease in lying or fight for self preservation!"

Harry turned to him, trying to understand what he was saying. "You mean, you're a Slytherin?"

"I am," Crocker said, drawing himself up to his full height. "And I am proud to be so."

Harry forced himself to look at this from a different angle. The inter- house relations were much better in this time than in his own. It was probably no less to be in Slytherin than it was to be in Gryffindor.

"That's good," Harry said. "That means things have changed since I have left, thought that is nothing new. It is rare indeed that I find something that has changed for the better. I applaud your loyalty, Mr. Crocker. Indeed, had I been in your position, yours would have outshone my own. Still, that does not stop this particular Slytherin from being who he is." Harry turned back to the frame. "Now, Phineas-"

"What do you expect me to say?" Phineas asked. "That I'm guilty? I doubt very much that if I said that, you would believe me either. You will hear nothing here today that can assure you of my loyalty for you will not believe it, whatever it is. But know this. I consider you to be Headmaster above that other woman."

Harry nodded, seeing the truth behind his words as well as the significance in his last sentence. As a portrait, Phineas was bound to serve the current Headmaster or Headmistress as a house elf is bound to serve its master. There was no way that he could betray them.

Harry sighed and turned to Crocker. "I want this portrait brought to my office. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all," Crocker said, obviously trying to appear as though he had not just heard himself be called a liar. "You may bring it back now if you like. Goodness knows you're the only one who knows how to use it."

"I wish it were true," Harry said. "But it isn't. Someone else knows how to use the portraits because someone else was sending information to Voldemort through one of them. Perhaps now we have put a stop to it."

Phineas snorted derisively from his frame. "I would keep looking if I were you."

Harry said nothing. He reached up and pulled the frame down off the wall. "I will wait for you at the school," Phineas promised before disappearing from his frame.

Harry made to leave before something small and golden caught his eye. Thoughtfully, he bent down and picked it up, portrait under one arm, and put the small top in his pocket.

"It's disabled," Crocker said distastefully, seeing what Harry had picked up. I can fix it for you, but it kept spinning all the time and the workers down here became annoyed for they did not know why it spun. They asked me about it and I let them disable it."

Harry nodded but did not remove it. "Perhaps I can repair it."

"I've no doubt," Crocker said, nodding.

Harry tucked the frame more securely under his arm and nodded for Crocker to precede him out. Crocker opened the door for him and they exited, both in silence.

"We will have to set up a Flu network Harry muttered as they exited the Ministry and found themselves on a Muggle street. "Everyone used Flu Powder in my day."

The Minister seemed to ignore him but Harry could see from the slight smile on his face that he thought Harry sounded like a very old man which, Harry admitted, he was indeed.

Harry suggested they Apparate and the Minister was quick to brag to Harry that he was one of the few people who could Apparate nowadays so they reached the area surrounding Hogwarts faster than Harry expected, though he would never cease to be amazed at what limited knowledge these present day wizards seemed to possess on the arcane arts. They apparently had decided to remember some things and forget others. Apparently Apparating died hard.

Harry left the Minister in the Great Hall, not liking the idea of inviting him to the Headmaster's office. He was only halfway there when he was confronted by none other than Headmistress Chiden herself. Harry groaned inwardly but showed nothing of it on his outside features.

"Is there something you need?"

"I need some answers if that's okay with you," Chiden snapped. "Like for you to explain to me about that little stunt you pulled earlier."

"I brought the portraits to life," Harry said, walking past her to continue his delayed trip to his room. "Magical wasn't it?"

"It was nothing of the sort!" Chiden snapped. "You swore to protect this school! You left it wide open for attack when you passed out!"

"It was either fight until I die and then leave the rest of you to die in my wake, or to have someone else fight a single battle and have everyone live," Harry said coldly, not looking at her as she hurried to keep up. The old crone. "Apparently you did not see what we were up against."

"I was not invited to join," Chiden said with no hint of regret. "Unlike those reckless fools, I do not wish to embrace the old ways that you keep preaching about. Everything was working fine before you came along."

"Before Voldemort came along, you mean," Harry said calmly, not slowing an inch. "It's his fault that I'm back, remember? If you wish to direct your anger toward someone, there's your target. Not me. I'm just trying to stop him destroying the world. Again."

Chiden seemed to be very angry. "And where have you been sense then? Did you not care what became of those you sent into battle?"

"Dumbledore told me there were not casualties," Harry said. "And I had to find the spy that started the whole mess."

"And did you?"

"I might have."

"I'm not the spy," Phineas's voice said, drifting from the portrait weirdly.

Chiden jumped back and Harry heard Phineas chuckle from the other end.

"What is that thing?" Chiden asked, making up the ground she had lost in her surprise.

"It's a portrait," Harry said. "Same one that helped defend your castle from Death Eaters."

"I did not go traipsing around as a human," Phineas insisted sounding distinctly annoyed. "I'm retired, thank you very much, and very proud and pleased to be so."

"I'll talk to you later, Nigellus," Harry promised the talking frame. "So you might want to take time now to have your peace and quiet."

No sound came from the portrait.

"You have some questions to answer," Chiden said, as though Harry did not already know this.

"Such as...?" Harry prompted.

"Such as what happened to my teachers when those-those things took them over!"

"Nothing," Harry said simply. "They temporarily lost control of their bodily functions, though they still saw everything they were doing. They helped win the first fight for Hogwarts."

"The first?"

"Well certainly there will be others now Voldemort knows I will use it for a stronghold."

"This is a school!" Chiden practically yelled. "Not a stronghold! There are innocent people here! Innocent children!"

"And those children make this castle a weakness that Voldemort could easily exploit given the opportunity," Harry said, stopping suddenly to look at her. "Would you rather have me here to protect it, knowing that I will be ready to defend it, given any circumstance, or would you rather have Ministry employees looking after it, knowing they won't be ready in any circumstance?"

Chiden looked even angrier at this, most likely because she knew that she had no choice in the matter. "Just remember that this is my school!" She snapped. "And I don't intend for you to take full control of it!"

"Believe me, Headmistress," Harry said, stressing the title only slightly. "With the school in this condition, you can keep it."

Chiden glared angrily at him before stomping off. Harry was quite glad for he had reached the gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office and the last thing he needed was for Chiden to know the password and for the crazy woman to come in and murder him in his sleep.

Harry gave the password and stepped onto the moving staircase that was already moving faster, though not at all at its previous rate.

When he got to the office, he sighed wearily and, leaning the portrait against his desk, sat down heavily in the chair. He took the sneakascope out of his pocket and sat it on the desk, looking at it for a second before pulling out his wand and tapping it. Instantly it repaired itself, sitting on its point instead of on its side. It did not move. Harry placed it to the side and sat looking at it for a moment before turning to the portraits which were watching him.

"I have reason to believe Phineas Nigellus in the spy. Is there any here that can honestly tell me so, or otherwise?"

None said anything, though everyone was looking warily at the others, especially Phineas.

"You see?" Phineas said. "I have sat here as bored as the rest of them."

Harry sighed again and sat back in his chair, running his fingers through his hair. It was a habit that served no purpose but to stand his hairs up on end and make his hair look messier, but at times he didn't care. Like now for instance.

He glanced up at the big clock on the wall, suddenly feeling rather tired and hungry. In all honestly he had not gotten much sleep the previous night and he had barely even begun to recover from the first attack. He would have to make a potion. He hated making potions...

He was hungry as well, but he didn't really want to go down and face Chiden or the Minster again so he decided that it was better to go hungry.

"I think that I will lie down," Harry said to the portraits before standing up and heading for the Headmaster's room.

"And don't come back until you're good and rested," said a witch fondly. Normally Harry would have scowled and told her that he wasn't really 16, but he just didn't have the energy. The day had been far too trying. He just nodded wearily. Distantly he noticed that Dumbledore was back, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He had learned what he had wanted to know from Dumbledore anyway.

And he was too tired to care.

He closed the door behind him and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.


	19. Breaking Rules

Chapter 18: Breaking the Rules

Harry awoke the next morning feeling like something had hit him really hard upside the head. Grunting, he sat up. It took him a minute to remember where he was and then he grunted again. Today he would set to work making his potion. At least it wasn't hard.

He got up and changed his robes then, yawning and rubbing his hair sleepily, walked into the Headmaster's office. It still felt weird, he realized, to walk into that room every morning. It still seemed like Dumbledore's office. Perhaps that was because it was exactly the same as it had been when he had left it. No one had been in there for years so it had remained unchanged.

Except for one thing.

Fawkes wasn't there. He had only seen him once before and that was when he had first arrived in the room. The next day Fawkes wasn't there and Harry hadn't noticed. He blinked and looked at Dumbledore's portrait.

"Where's Fawkes?"

Dumbledore looked at him seriously. "He's off doing important business."

Harry bit back a biting remark and he saw Dumbledore smile. "He's my eyes and ears, Harry." he explained. "While I cannot get up and leave, he can and he reports back to me to tell me what's happening in the world."

"And?" Harry asked. "What has he said?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "Nothing you haven't heard. I would have told you if it had been so. I mostly send him on errands because you also have been withholding information, though I doubt it is intentional. Sometimes I am under the impression that you forget our portrait status and believe that I, as I once did, knew about things as they were happening. Alas, this is not so for no one reports to me any longer."

Harry winced. He had been forgetting about them being portraits. Sometimes he simply expected Dumbledore to be the same as he remembered him as. Quite obviously, he was not. "I didn't realize," Harry said. "I'll tell you more from now on."

Dumbledore waved it away. "No need. Fawkes tells me what I need to know. You will find that he can be quite invisible when he chooses not to be seen."

Harry nodded. "Okay, but tell me if you need anything."

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "At some point you will need to set up the connections that I once controlled. With those, you will know everything about the same time its happening."

Harry nodded. His stomach rumbled loudly. "I had better get some food." He ran his fingers through his hair again, knowing subconsciously that it was sticking up. Dumbledore nodded and Harry walked through the hall.

It appeared that Grander was getting into the habit of waking him for he met Harry the instant he opened the door behind the gargoyle. He grinned cheerfully, though Harry could see that it was slightly weary from the previous day. Had it only been a day?

Harry resolved to make a potion for Grander as well.

"Good morning," Grander said. "I was just coming to wake you up. The house elves have already begun breakfast."

"Excellent," Harry said. They set off in the direction to the kitchens. "Is there anything I have to do today?"

"The Minister's class is today," Grander said. Harry heard an eager undertone in his voice. "I've been practicing, you know. It should be great. I can open a lock with almost only a thought! It was amazing the first time it happened. It was kind of late and I always practice before I go to bed and I was rather tired so I just sort of waved my wand and...poof! The door's unlocked. It was amazing."

"So all you've been practicing is the unlocking charm?" Harry asked blankly. "You haven't tried anything else?"

"You haven't showed us anything else," Grander said, looking at Harry questioningly. "Was I supposed to?"

"No," Harry said, shrugging. "I just wandered. I'm going to have to give you a book. No matter. I have a potion I want to make so I'll make that the lesson today."

Grander's jaw dropped and Harry could just see the wheels working in his head. "Potions? We don't make potions anymore! We have medicine, obviously, but actually potions with magical powers! That's amazing! I've read about it, obviously, but I didn't think it could be done nowadays!"

Harry grinned a little. "You sound like an old friend of mine. She was always reading books."

Grander beamed, as though Harry could not have paid him a bigger compliment. They reached the kitchens and Grander led the way in. The house elves came over instantly carrying food. Apparently they had been expected. A table was pushed over to them and chairs and they sat down to eat.

"I've been thinking," Harry said, swallowing a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "About that message Voldemort sent me. You remember the one. Where he said he had someone."

Grander nodded thoughtfully. "I remember. But I don't see who it could be. It's been weeks now and no one's noticed any disappearances."

Harry nodded slowly. "I haven't had a lot of time to think lately, but perhaps it isn't someone you would notice was gone, because they were never technically here."

"What?" Grander asked blankly. "If they're not real, who cares if he has them?"

"I didn't say they weren't real," Harry said. His fork froze, halfway to his mouth. "No..."

"What?" Grander asked, still not understanding.

"He's brought back people from the past," Harry breathed. "People that he knew. People that I knew, but only my enemies. What if he brought back one of my friends!" Suddenly Harry wasn't hungry at all. He felt sick.

Grander's mouth opened slightly. "That's terrible! Would he do something like that?" He winced even as the words came out of his mouth. "Ignore that last question."

Harry put his fork down, his mouth tight. "Imagine what he would do to them if he had them."

Grander face was a mix of horror and sympathy.

Suddenly Harry relaxed and shook his head. He felt like laughing in relief as he remembered a very important detail. "He can't." He shook his head and went back to eating his eggs with vigor. "Not unless they want to. They wouldn't come back. He can't force them. The Death Eaters are only back because they came at the summons of their master."

Harry's good mood diminished quickly as he remembered, though happily, that he had just lost his only lead. His said nothing for a moment. Then the door to the kitchens was pushed open and a woman, a man, and a little girl walked in.

"It's him!"

Harry turned to see small Elizabeth Wently looking at him with admiration in her eyes. The man and the woman were looking at him, their eyes wide. Harry supposed they must be Elizabeth's parents.

"Good morning," Harry said cheerfully, trying to put the couple at ease. Instead they appeared surprised that Harry could talk and the woman took a step back. Harry rose to his feet hastily and wiped his hands on his robes. He held out his hand to shake it and the woman took another startled step backwards. Harry lowered his hand uncertainly.

Elizabeth seemed to have none of her parents' hesitations. She ran up to him happily, her hair bouncing and her eyes shining. "I learned a new spell yesterday!" she squealed. "It was a charm to make things float and I haven't got it right yet, but I've managed to make it move!"

"Very good!" Harry said. He said nothing, but the thought crossing his mind at that moment was that this little girl standing in front of him knew more magic than just about any other wizard in the entire world. A sudden idea passed through his mind. If this little girl was trying to learn magic on her own and her own parents didn't know any sort of counter curses, she might actually hurt someone on accident. His thoughts must have flashed across his face because suddenly Elizabeth looked heart broken. "You--you don't want me to know it?"

"No!" Harry said quickly. "Hey, are you hungry? Have Grander get you something really quickly. You can have my seat. I need to talk to your parents." Elizabeth nodded slowly. Grander hurriedly got to his feet and summoned the house elves. Harry turned to little Elizabeth's parents. Harry walked over to them.

They looked very nervous and Harry felt a little guilty for talking to them before he realized how ridiculous that last thought was. He walked out of earshot of the two eating at the table. The two parents looked quite hesitant.

"I'm Harry Potter," Harry began.

"We know," the father said hastily.

"Mr. and Mrs. Wently," Harry said. "I want to apologize for any inconvenience, but I need to talk to you about your daughter."

"You made her promise to learn magic," the mother said suddenly. Her lips were pursed.

Harry shook his head firmly. "I suggested it and she was eager to do it. The only problem is, she has no real teacher to help her."

"We know," Mrs. Wently began.

"Lianna," the father said, a warning tone in his voice.

"You approve of this, Waylan?" Lianna said angrily.

"I believe that in today's world, Elizabeth will be better protected if she knows how to defend herself."

"We've got along pretty well without it," Lianna hissed.

"But times are different," Waylan said. "And I don't think we can hope to continue without knowing at least the basics of magic!"

Lianna pursed her lips. "But she's so young!"

"And she's already learned more than we ever did at school!" Waylan insisted. "She's very talented!"

"And she needs a teacher," Harry cut in. "If she doesn't have one and she does something wrong, terrible things can happen without her meaning to! Why, they very spell she was just telling me about comes with a warning label! When I was in school, our teacher told us about a man who pronounced it wrong and ended up with a buffalo on his chest. I don't want to risk it, especially with you daughter."

"A buffalo?" Lianna said blankly. "What's a buffalo?"

"A very large animal," Harry said. "With four hooves. Not pleasant, I can assure you."

"But you want her to learn magic?"

"Yes," Harry said firmly.

"Then what do you suggest?" Waylan asked.

"I'm teaching a class here at Hogwarts," Harry said. "It's mostly for Ministry members and the Professors here at Hogwarts. I would like your daughter to join."

"I don't know," Lianna said. She looked uncertainly back at her daughter where she was sitting laughing with Grander who had apparently just told a joke.

"Everyone would be much older than her," Waylan pointed out. "She'll probably be really behind."

Harry shook his head. "We've only had one lesson. She probably knows more than they do!"

Lianna shook her head in wonder. "I never thought we'd be faced with this decision."

Waylan smiled at her. "At least we don't have to worry about her failing in her classes, right?"

"But she hasn't even started school yet!" Lianna objected.

"What if she came after the classes were over and you helped her privately?" Waylan said. "I don't like the idea of Elizabeth in there with so many older people any more than my wife does."

Harry nodded. "I could do that. I have a class today after lunch. She can come in when it's over. I'll work with her on the spells."

Lianna nodded, to Harry's relief. "That can work. Just remember though, that she's only a little girl and she may decide she doesn't want to come or something. You know children. They get bored easily."

Harry nodded, though he knew that the only way Elizabeth would not show up was if her parents didn't tell her. "Then we have an agreement. I will see Elizabeth this afternoon around 2:30. Grander?"

Grander looked up. "Yes?"

"Are you done?"

"I am," Grander said, frowning at Harry's only half eaten plate. "But are you?"

"I am," Harry said. Instantly a house elf whisked his plate away. Grander nodded, stood up, and asked a house elf to pull up a third chair for the two parents.

"I'll see you this evening," Harry said, grinning as Elizabeth's eyes lighted up. Lianna and Waylan exchanged looked. Lianna looked uneasy and Waylan looked determined.

Grander followed Harry out as they left. "What was that all about?"

"I arranged for Elizabeth to come to my class after the Ministry members and teachers left so I could teach her the spells before she hurt herself or someone else on accident."

"An extra class?" Grander asked excitedly. "For students?"

Harry balked. "I was just talking about Elizabeth!"

But give a man an inch and they take a mile and that was exactly what Grander was doing. "Brilliant! Some of the more advanced students can come! You know, those that want to learn more than others and get good marks. I can see it now. I can stay after class if you want. I can help out. I don't know what I can do, but I can help."

"I didn't say I wanted another class!" Harry protested. "Besides, Chiden would probably have a heart attack when she found out and trip all over herself to accuse me of trying to take over her school."

"A heart attack?" Grander asked blankly. "Never mind. But I bet I can convince Headmistress Chiden and if I can't, I'll go to the Minister and he'll make her."

"The Ministry doesn't have any say of what happens at Hogwarts."

"Are you kidding? Of course it does. When the Ministry says jump, Headmistress Chiden jumps. She can't do anything else!"

Harry frowned. "Gonna have to change that."

Grander laughed as though Harry was joking. "I'll talk to her after class."

They stopped. They had arrived at Harry's classroom.

Harry winced. He should have been thinking about what he was doing instead of where he was going. "I have to go to the dungeons to pick up the stuff I need."

"What do you need?" Grander asked.

"Cauldron," Harry grunted. Grander had the expected reaction.

"A cauldron? Ha! Are you kidding? For what potions?"

"That's what I said we were doing today," Harry said sharply. "And it's not as ridiculous as it sounds. There are hundreds of things that a potion can achieve that wands can only imagine doing."

"That's stupid," Grander said. "Magic can do everything!"

"Not everything," Harry argued.

"Like what?"

"Magic can't bring people back from the dead."

"Ha!" Grander said. "It brought you back!"

"Voldemort and I are different. We were both very strongly powerful and we were connected to our regenerative phoenix wands. A connection with a wand is something that can't happen to just everyone. When my body was burned in the flames, the phoenix in my wand that I was connected with reacted exactly as it was supposed to. Because of the connection, it brought me back as well!"

"And Voldemort?"

"Same thing," Harry said dismissively.

"No it wasn't," Grander protested. "He didn't come back in flames."

"Voldemort was never truly dead," Harry said softly. "Nothing can really kill him. His spirit was living on in the world, waiting for his body to breathe life again. When that Death Eater sacrificed his hand--that Death Eater." Suddenly Harry stopped. "Wait a moment..."

"What is it?"

"That same Death Eater who sacrificed his hand was the one that came to give me the message, around the same time Voldemort was stealing the souls of his Death Eaters to bring the past Death Eater's spirits back to life. Why did he not steal the soul of that one Death Eater?"

"Perhaps he would have died if that man died."

"Perhaps," Harry admitted. "Yes, that makes sense. Voldemort's first act was to give some of his powers to his Death Eater to destroy my body. In essence, he gave some of himself to that Death Eater because in the beginning he was not strong enough to hold it in and he wanted me gone-- which took over his reason. That Death Eater than transferred it to me meaning we would both die if that Death Eater died."

"How do you know it was transferred to you at all?" Grander asked. "Maybe he kept it."

"My age," Harry said. "I should have come back an infant, but I destroyed Voldemort at this age and I came back at this age because of the transfer. I should just kill that man and my troubles would be over."

"No!" Grander protested. "That would kill you!"

"I've already died once!" Harry snapped. "Why should it matter if I go again?" But deep inside, he knew that he could not do it. It was one thing to die, but suicide was another thing.

Grander frowned. "But now that magic is back, people are going to realize how powerful it is. Plus, even if you kill Voldemort by dying, those Death Eaters he brought back aren't going to be dead and they know enough magic to do the same thing Voldemort does! We're going to need you here after Voldemort is gone so we can defend ourselves against those Death Eaters!"

"But what if I can't do it?" Harry said, very quietly. "What if Voldemort wins this time?"

"Don't be stupid," Grander said harshly. "You're five times as creative as him. You'll think of something he doesn't."

"Like last time we came face to face?" Harry asked. "When we were both knocked unconscious in the end. It was a draw."

"But the difference between you and Voldemort," Grander said, in such a tone that Harry found himself subconsciously believing him, "Is that you have allies behind you that won't run away if the battle turns to the worst. And power doesn't mean anything," Grander said quickly when he saw Harry open his mouth, "If the people won't remain loyal."

"They know they can defeat me if they all work together."

"But, from what you've told me of Slytherins, they'll save their own skin before sacrificing it for someone else. That's why they joined Voldemort, so they can personally gain power."

"I don't want anyone sacrificed!" Harry snapped. "Not for me."

"This is a war," Grander said softly. "More of a war than we've seen in 1000 years. There are casualties."

"Isn't the entire population of London enough already? What about the people in the hospital when he attacked London? Isn't that enough?"

"You can bet your last Galleon," Grander said, pulling open the dungeon door that lead into the old potions classroom. "That more people are going to die defending their cause. That more people are going to be willing to sacrifice to save their families."

"But to which side will they sacrifice?" Harry mused, walking through the open door. Grander said nothing behind him.

* *

"Today we will be making potions," Harry told the class. He did not miss the incredulous looks that many of the people shot each other, but he chose to ignore them. "The instructions are on the board--" He knew they were not on the board but said nothing to the raised eyebrows. "--and you will follow every instruction exactly. No improvising. It can have unwanted effects. The ingredients are in front of you. You will use everything. I will go around and correct you if you did something wrong."

He sat down, flicked his wand at the black board, used up some of his carefully supplied energy, and the words appeared. Many of the students blinked in surprise while others shrugged it off. Many of the latter were the teachers whom had been possessed by the previous Headmasters and Mistresses, Harry noticed.

Harry had good reason to show a fully powered image to the class. He found himself becoming increasingly wary of many of the students, especially after his talk with Grander. Any one of them could be passing information to Voldemort. He hated being so suspicious all the time, but in all honesty, it was far better to be safe than to be sorry.

The class that day was quite eventful. Several people, despite Harry's warning, thought it would be too much trouble to cut up the Mandrake roots and, since the powdered armadillo bile was handy, added that instead. Needless to say, there were quite a few singed eyebrows when the class was over--including Grander's, who looked horrified when he accidentally added crushed beetle eyes instead of the required powdered bat guano and his potion hissed and turned bright red.

"Did you bleed in it?" Harry had joked. Grander, however, started anxiously looking his hands over for cuts or scrapes he hadn't noticed, a terrified expression on his face. Harry laid a hurried hand on his shoulder to calm him and pointed out his mistake.

By the end of class, only three students had successfully completed their potion. Harry labeled the vials and sat them on his desk at the front of the class.

"Next time we'll be working on the same thing," Harry said. "Then perhaps you can remember then that this isn't a game. I can tell just by sitting here that several of your potions have indeed turned into poison--having the opposite effect than they were required."

"What do they do?" A woman asked.

"The poisons kill you," Harry said. "But the correctly made potion will, in fact, restore a semblance of your health and energy. These correctly made potions will be brought to the hospital wing. There they will be used to help the injured."

There were only three pleased expressions in the class that day. Everyone else looked rather put out. Grander looked miserable.

"I can't believe I did that!" He wailed when the rest of the class had gone. "It was such an obvious mistake! I should have checked the label!"

"Don't worry about it," Harry said, startled that Grander was taking it so personally. "Just about everyone messed up."

Grander opened his mouth to reply when there came a soft knock on the door. Harry looked over and saw little Elizabeth Wently through the glass, looking excited and nervous at the same time.

Harry grinned and motioned for her to come in. She pushed the door opened and stood in the doorway.

"Come in," Harry insisted and she walked hesitantly into the room. "Sit down," Harry persisted. She sat in the nearest chair.

"Did your parents tell you why I asked you here?"

She shook her head. "Lianna told me that you wanted to see me."

"Lianna?" Harry said before he could stop himself.

"She's my foster Mummy," Elizabeth said. "And Waylan is my foster Daddy. My real parents died when a Muggle hover car ran off the road and killed them. My Mummy always liked Muggles. But I don't remember it very well. It was a long time ago."

"I heard about that!" Grander said suddenly. "That was terrible! The car went right over you and hit them!"

Elizabeth blanched and lowered her head. Apparently she did remember.

Harry opened his mouth to say something but there came another knock at the door and he looked up, his eyes widening slightly.

It was Hannah at the door with a very nervous looking Ricky beside her and about 10 other students behind them.

"Grander!" Harry hissed. "Who did you tell?"

"No one!" Grander insisted.

Harry motioned for those at the door to enter. Hannah pushed open the door. She stood before him, not seeming the least bit nervous. "I heard you were having a class for the students and I thought I could join."

Harry shot Grander a look but he looked as perplexed at Harry felt. "How did you find out about it?"

Ricky glanced at his friend and Hannah's eyes twinkled. "I have my ways."

"Really?" Harry asked, very suspicious. "How's that?"

"If I told you," Hannah said. "Then it wouldn't be a secret."

Ricky was looking at Hannah, horrified she should talk back to Harry Potter.

Harry shrugged as tough it didn't matter. "Chiden would have a fit if she knew you were here."

"I don't care," Hannah said, shaking her head. "I want to learn magic and I'm not going to let her stop us because she's too afraid of what's to come."

"And what about everyone else?" Harry asked. "Do you speak for them as well?"

"I do," Harry said. "Everyone in here wants to learn. Just asked Professor Grander. He has us all in class. We have good marks. Well, except for Ricky, but he's a little off."

Ricky glared at her for making him look bad in front of the great Harry Potter, but Hannah's blue-green eyes were twinkling. "We want to, Mr. Potter, sir. I thought that perhaps you could teach us."

Harry had no earthly idea how to tell them no, and he honestly didn't want to. "Sit down." he said.


	20. Learning

A/N: Okay, I think that perhaps it's time to realize that I'm just going to have to put a time line and be done with it:

Harry defeats Voldemort. Ten years later he's still not over it because everyone he knew died in the battle (practically everyone) and he spends all his time gaining power and hunting down Death Eaters. Then, quite by accident, he gets sent back in time to right before he defeats Voldemort and accidentally changes time. Now, his own time isn't changed when he goes back, but the past is. So basically the Harry from this story is from the CHANGED past. Not the one that goes back in time. No one died in the battle the second time. The Harry that did go back in time and changed the past is the one Phineas was telling Harry about.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 19: Learning

Harry looked around at the patiently waiting faces and suddenly he felt very warm inside. These were the people he should be teaching. These were the people who were willing to learn and had the ability to do so. These weren't people selected by the Minister to learn something they hadn't asked to learn.

"If this is to be a class," Harry said, deciding to start the class out with a lecuture. "Everyone in here has to be prepared for what's coming. It will be hard, but you will learn and grow stronger. You will become able to defend yourself. Anyone who is not prepared to work hard should leave now." Not a person left. Harry's eyes lingered on Elizabeth for a moment and saw that she looked nervous but resolute.

"I think," Harry said on a sudden inspiration, "That we should learn defensive spells. As you all know, Defense Against the Dark Arts is going to be very important. I think we'll learn and perfect the Disarming Charm."

Harry could see the disappointment on Hannah's face and grinned. "Hannah. Front and Center."

Hannah looked confused. "What?"

"Come to the front and stand in the center," Harry elaborated.

Hannah nodded, looking rather nervous for the first time. She shuffled to the front.

"Perform the charm."

Hannah pulled her wand out of her pocket and, then looked questioningly at Harry. "On who?"

"Me," Harry said, pulling out his own wand.

Hannah looked very nervous now. She raised her wand and yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

The spell hit Harry and he felt the small tug on his wand and fought back, sending only a tiny trickle of resistance. It was enough. Nothing happened.

"Perform the spell," Harry repeated.

"I did," Hannah said, staring at Harry. Suddenly her face was determined and she raised her wand souting, "Expelliarmus!"

Harry fought back again. This time it was slightly harder and Harry had been caught unawares. Still, he managed to hold onto his wand with only the minimum amount of resistance. Hannah was quite frustrated. "It should have worked," she said, frowning.

"It should have," Harry agreed. "But in this classroom, we're going to be learning more than how to perform a spell. We will learn how to put the power necessary behind it. We will learn how to use your head and perform the correct spells in real combat situations. This isn't going to be like your other classes. Not at all."

Little Elizabeth was looking nervous. Harry felt suddenly rather sorry that the other students had showed up. She looked very small next to all those other children. Even the two first years that had tagged along dwarfed her completely.

He should do something to make her feel more welcome.

"Okay, everyone seperate into pair. Since there's an odd number of people, Elizabeth can be with me."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide and she leapt eagerly from her seat. Everyone else moved around the room, grabbing partners. Hannah paired up with Ricky. Harry found he didn't know the rest of the students names. There was time to learn later.

Elizabeth already had her wand out when she popped up in front of Harry. He had the impression that she had had it out the entire time.

"Is it okay?" Harry asked. "I had originally planned for this time for me to work with you alone. I'm not sure how they found out."

"I'm happy, actually," Elizabeth said shyly. "At least now if I mess up it won't be as big of a deal."

Harry grinned at her. "Okay, do you know the spell?" Elizabeth nodded. "Show me what you can do."

Elizabeth raised her wand and her voice joined the chorus of "Expelliarmus!" Harry felt the tug of the spell. It was about as strong as Hannah's first try but this time Harry did not attempt resistance and his wand flew into Little Elizabeth's hands. She squealed in excitement.

"Now it's my turn," Harry said. He held out his hand and his wand flew back into his hand. Elizabeth's eyes grew wide.

Harry really didn't need to practice the spell at all because of the years of practice. He could perform the spell half asleep. But he had decided that every person needed to know what it felt like to have the spell performed on them. It was the Moody-method except with less dangerous charms.

Elizabeth's wand flew out of her hand and she tried to catch it before it got to far away but missed. Harry caught it deftly and tossed it back to her. Then Elizabeth tried the charm again. It had the same amount of power behind it as the first time and this time Harry didn't allow his wand to leave his hand. Elizabeth frowned. "Why didn't it work?"

"I blocked it," Harry said simply.

"But you didn't do anything," Elizabeth protested. "You have to say a counter curse."

Harry nodded. "I did. Have you gotten to the point yet when you can simply wave your wand and, without saying the incantation, perform the charm?" Elizabeth shook her head. The always enthusiastic Grander, who had no partner, said, "I have! I have! On the unlocking charm."

Harry raised his eyebrows but Grander didn't look even slightly abashed at his outburst.

"And the next thing to that is automatic defenses," Harry said. "I have the ability to block all sorts of spells without even having to wave my wand."

"That's cool!" Elizabeth said. "Can I do that?"

"If you practice really hard," Harry said. "Now, perform the spell on me again except this time, put more power behind it."

Elizabeth tried again once more before Harry put Grander with her and went around the classroom, making sure everyone could perform the charm. He had to correct grips many times, but by the end of class, everyone was at least slightly performing the charm.

"I want everyone to perform the charm on command next lesson. I want it the first try as well. If my assumption is correct, you are all the best and brightest of your years and will tell you now that the expectations in this class if far above those of your other classes. I expect the best and I will poke and pry until I get it. You will give the best you can or you can go to a different class. Class dismissed."

Everyone got up to go and Harry saw the same look on every face--one of happiness and excitement. Not a single person looked put off by what he had said.

Harry moved to talk to Elizabeth. "Do you need me to call your parents for you or can you find your way?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "They should be here soon. We have a big clock at our house--"

"Hannah!" Harry said quickly as he saw the girl leaving. "Hold a minute." He turned back to Elizabeth. "So you'll be fine?" Elizabeth nodded. "Good." Elizabeth left the room.

Hannah looked a little nervous as she hung back. Ricky hung back as well but Harry motioned irritably for him to go and he walked out of Harry's sight, though Harry was quite sure he had not completely left.

Harry waved his wand and a chair arranged itself in front of his desk as he settled into the chair behind it. He motioned for Hannah to sit and she did so, trying not to look at the chair under her.

Grander had not left the room with the others and Harry looked at him pointedly. Grander looked at him in surprise.

"I'll only be a minute," Harry said. Grander looked rather annoyed but complied. When the History of Magic teacher had left, Harry turned back to the girl in front of him.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"No, sir."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Listen, I said exactly the same thing to my Headmaster when I was younger than you and, in turn, my Headmaster told me as much as I told him. My godfather died because of the silence. Now, is there anything you want to tell me?"

Hannah frowned. "What happened?"

Harry waved it away. "Nothing that's important at the moment. There's something you're not telling me and, I admit, there's no reason for you to do so. However, I would like you to tell me how you found out about the class."

"Someone told me," Hannah said, unconvincingly.

"Who?" Harry asked, deciding that the obvious lie might have some basis in fact.

"The person told me not to tell."

"Did they?" Harry persisted.

"Yes," Hannah said resolutely.

"Very well," Harry said. Hannah blinked in surprise. "You may go."

Hannah got out of her chair, confused. Still, when Harry said nothing else, she turned and left. Harry heard Ricky's voice outside a moment later and knew that his guess about Ricky had been correct. Grander came in a moment later.

"Why did I have to leave?"

"Because you're her teacher," Harry said. "I thought that if you were here, she would think that she was under interrogation by the school. Besides, I thought she was more likely to tell me than you."

"And?"

"I was wrong," Harry said, frowning. "She lied. I could tell. There's something she's not telling me. I saw it the day of the attack. They were out of bounds for more reasons than they were letting on."

"Did you find out how she knew about your meeting with Elizabeth?"

"I know that no one told her about it," Harry said. "She's not saying anything. She doesn't want me to know." Harry sighed wearily. "I should have used Occlemency on her."

Grander raised his eyebrows. "You mean mind reading? You believe in that?"

"The mind is not a book that you can pick up and read at your leisure," Harry said, repeating what Snape had told him on his first Occlemency lessen. "It's more complex than that."

"How do you do it?" Grander asked. Harry determined at that moment that the only way to describe Grander was the word 'sponge' trying to soak up every bit of lost or forgotten knowledge he could lay his hands on.

"It's long and complicated," Harry said. "Very uninteresting." Harry leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling. "Is there anything else I'm supposed to do today?"

"Not that I know of," Grander said. "Hungry?"

"Not really," Harry said. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to get away from that stupid castle with its secrets and constant, hovering threats, and stupid, blind Headmistresses. "I want to go flying." He realized as soon as he said it that that was indeed what he wanted to do. "It's been so long."

"On a real broom?"

"No," Harry said. "On a vacuume."

"Oh," Grander said. "Well, that makes sense."

"Of course I mean a broom!" Harry said, "What did you think I meant?"

"I thought you wanted to go space walking," Grander said, shrugging. "You know, in a vacuume. But you mean on a broom? Like the kind we simulate for Quid?"

"Yeah, except for Quidditch," Harry said. "It's much better. When Voldemort's gone, I'm going to try and reinstate it at Hogwarts."

"Good luck," Grander said. "Of course, with those Bludgers you played with, it's no wonder you're hard headed."

Harry grinned. "Never got hit in the head, personally. Broke my arm one time. Another time I nearly swallowed a Snitch. Then I fell from my broom at 50 feet up..." Harry trailed off. "I suppose with the limited medical knowledge you have, Quidditch can be concidered violent."

"No kidding," Grander said, giving Harry a strange look. "Swallowed the Snitch?"

"First game I ever played," Harry said, grinning. "I was nearly bucked from my broom because a servant of Voldemort was jinxing it. Before I could even get reorientated on the field, I accidentally swallowed te Snitch."

"Sound dangerous," Grander said.

"It was," Harry agreed. "But it was all worth it. Getting to fly on my broom was the only thing that I could do to get away from everything at school."

"Sounds nice," Grander agreed. "You'll have to show me some time. I was a mess when I tried out for the Quid team when I was at school. Let's see...Hannah's on the team."

"Really?" Harry asked. "Doesn't sound very exciting next to Quidditch though."

"I don't there's very much than a fight with Voldemort that could be as exciting as Quidditch," Grander said, shaking his head. "Sounds like about a hundred ways you could get hurt just from pushing off the ground."

"I'll show you," Harry said suddenly, standing up. "I saw a bunch of brooms at the Ministry of Magic. We'll go get them and head down to the Quidditch pitch and try them out."

"The Quidditch pitch?" Grander asked blankly. "They put the entire Quid system up out there. There's no way there's going to be room to fly a broom."

"Over the forest then," Harry said. "Or out by the lake."

Grander didn't look too happy about it, but Harry was on a role and he was now itching to get back on a broom. "We'll Apparate to the Minstry. Are you coming?"

Grander's face showed plainly his hesitation, but when he saw how eager Harry was, he nodded resignedly and followed.

* *

"You can't just leave with a centuries old artifact!" the man at the Minstry argued as Harry picked up and examined the broom before frowning and shaking his head.

"I already did it once," Harry said vaguely. "Twice actually in the company of your Minister."

The man shook his head firmly. "I hope you don't expect me to believe that."

"Where do you think that talking portrait went?" Harry asked. "Ah..." He picked up a broom and held it above the ground. When he released it, it floated.

"Wh--How did you do that?" the man asked.

"Magic," Harry said grinning. He handed the broom to Grander. "This one will do for me. I'll have to find you one that's not nearly as fast."

"Thank you," Grander said, his voice tight as he held the broom in his hand. "This probably isn't a good time to tell you that I don't think I'm going to like flying, is it?"

"Nonscense," Harry said dismissively. "Everyone likes flying. Well, except for Neville, but Madam Pomfrey healed his broken wrist soon enough."

Grander went green.

"I don't think I should let you take that," the man argued.

"Are you still going on about something?" Harry asked. The man's mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Listen," Harry said. "I really don't care what you think. These are not going to any use here and I'm pretty sure I'll use them at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" The man asked blankly. "What's happening at Hogwarts?"Suddenly his eyes filled with comprehension. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Harry Potter, sir! I didn't know that you needed these! I'm sure the Minster won't mind since you took the portrait earlier."

"Oddly," Harry said. "I don't think he'll mind either."

"I'll just leave you to pick something out then," the man said. He seemed to be under the impression that he's upset Harry and was expecting to be turned into a toad any minute. He practically fled the room.

"He was a nice sort of fellow," Harry commented absently. "Yes, I think this broom will do nicely. It's a little more advanced than the one I learned to fly on, but they don't seem to have a lot of safe, family brooms in here." He handed Grander the other broom and looked around, making sure he's picked out the right ones. His eyes fell on an Invisibility cloak sitting on a shelf. He slowly walked toward it.

It was exactly like he remembered it--like liquid water in his hand. On impulse, he draped it around his shoulders. He heard Grander gasp behind him.

"Nice, isn't it?" Harry asked calmly, taking it off and folding it before sticking it into his pocket. "I don't think they'll miss it. Probably don't know what it does, anyway. The idiots."

Grander looked like he was going to protest, but he instead he said, "Maybe we should go."

"Right," Harry said, grabbing the broom from Grander. He knew he was being rather reckless, but now that the broom was in his hand, all he wanted to do was fly it. He contained himself, however, deciding he might be in enough trouble, sneaking into the Ministry and stealing 'ancient artifacts'. To be perfectly honest, however, he had not snuck at all. As soon as someone learned his name, they tripped all over themselves to get him what he wanted.

Harry walked out into the circular room with Grander right behind him. He wished now that the Ministry man had stuck around. He wasn't quite sure which door to take. There seemed to be more than he remembered.

He stood in the middle of the room and waited for the doors to quit spinning. Then he paused, guessing randomly the door to take. Grander followed him.

Harry opened a door and paused, taken aback.

It was like he was outside. A wind whipped by his face and the grass rippled under his feet. The trees rustled softly.

"Where are we?" Grander asked.

"I dunno," Harry said. "We're still in the Department of Mysteries..."

"We are," Grander said, looking back at the door which seemed to have opened in the air. "How about we follow the name and leave this mystery unsolved..."

"Nonscense," Harry said. "I want to see what's in here."

"Are we a thing now?" Harry heard Grander make a small noise behind him and felt an arrow tip pressed against the back of his neck. "Have the few remaining centaurs lost even the dignity of being called a people?"

"C-Centaurs?" Grander asked from behind Harry.

"The centaurs!" Harry said. "I thought you were in the Forbidden Forest outside Hogwarts!"

"Ha!" The arrow pressed harder into the back of his neck. "Do not taunt us with what was! We centaurs have not seen the true outside for centuries! You locked us in here! You and your human friends!"

"What?" Harry asked, turning around so that he could face the creature before him.

"Harry!" Grander groaned.

"Who put you in here?"

"Don't play that with me!" the centaur snapped. Harry saw that the centaur before him had a pure white horses body. Everything about him seemed white. His skin was white and his hair was so blonde that it too seemed to be devoid of pigment colors. "You did not understand our ways so you locked us up for study! Did you honestly believe that you could convince us this was the real night sky? The stars do not move! Nothings the same!" The arm trembled slightly but then it regained its strength. "I have never seen the night sky! None of us have!"

"Please be calm," Harry said. "My name is--"

"I do not care!" the centaur said. "You are all the same! Every one of you!"

"I am who you think I am!" Harry said. "I am from a different time! I--"

"I will hear none of your lies! We told you humans never to return and you did! Do you perhaps want to study the last of the Kneazel population today? Or the single remaining Nundu? They are under our protection! You cannot touch them!"

"Take us to the leader of the centaur race," Harry said. "That is not an unreasonable request."

Grander groaned behind him.

The centaur, for a moment, seemed like he would refuse. But he stiffly nodded. "Unlike you humans, we are not a hasty race. We will hear why you are here and we will judge you fairly."

He walked forward and motioned for them to follow him. Harry sent Grander a reasuring smile (he glared back) and followed.

They did not walk far before they arrived at thier destination. Harry was under the impression the room was, in fact, smaller than it appeared. The white centaur led him to a clearing. It was filled completely with centaurs and each one was as white as the first one. They all rose to their feet angrily, pulling bows out from over their backs. Harry found that he was again faced with the prospect of immenent death.

"I have brought humans here for judgement!" the first centaur said. Harry found that he was having trouble telling them apart.

"What do they want?" asked an old centaur that appeared to be the leader. He alone had not drawn his bow.

"They did not say," the centaur said.

The old centaur drew itself up to its full height and approached Harry and Grander.

"Why have you come?"

Harry took a step forward and the centaurs tensed their bows. "I am Harry Potter. I have come to ask you centaurs to come back to the forest that was your home."

The centaur let out a laugh. "Harry Potter is dead. He died in the years of my ancestors. He never cared for the centaurs. Why should you be him and wish us to return?"

"Because in my first year, a centaur saved my life," Harry said. "And again in my 5th year. I am forever in your debt. I wish you to come back to the forest that was your home for thousands of years, before the human race ever came to it. Perhaps then I can begin to repay my debt."

"That it not true!" the centaur who had brought them to the clearing said. "We centaurs do not interfere! We would have let you die!"

"Not one centaur!" Harry said. "Firenze! Do you know the name?"

The clearing went quiet. The old centaur took a step forward, toward Harry. "Who dares to speak the name?"

Harry frowned. "I am Harry Potter. He saved my life, became my teacher. I have every right to say the name."

"You are not Harry Potter!" the old centaur said. "Harry Potter died a millinium ago! He is dead! How dare you to defile his name?"

"Defile?" Harry asked blankly. "How is being who I am defiling my name! Voldemort is back! I doubt any of you remember him personally, but I do! He is back and I have returned to fight him!"

There was a moment of silence. Finally a female centaur walked forward. Harry saw Grander out of the corner of his eye blink in surprise at her appearance.

"He speaks the truth," the female centaur said. "I have heard it with my own ears."

"What is this?" asked the old centaur. "How do you know what he speaks is truth?"

"I heard the man talking about it," she said. "They came in last week when I was alone in the camp. They had come to collect and study a Streeler."

Harry blinked but did not ask. What would someone want with a giant, poisonous snail?

"They took it?" asked a man sharply.

The woman sent him a hauty look. "I was alone and they brough their devilish deviced to imobilize me. They then spoke openly as though I was not a reasoning being and could not hear. But from what I heard, the boy speaks the truth. Lord Voldemort has returned."

"Preposterous!" said the old centaur as the clearing errupted into noise. "Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter alike have been dead for a thousand years!"

"Are you calling my daughter a liar?" asked a middle aged centaur, gestering to the woman who had spoken earlier.

"She probably misunderstood!"

"I did not!"

"I think that perhaps we're missing the underlying idea here," said a younger male centaur. "Regaurdless of who this boy may be--" (Harry was rather disgruntled with the constant refrence to him as 'boy') "--he is still offering us what we have wanted for hundreds of years! A chance to go back to the forest of our ancestors!"

"Bah!" said the older centaur. "We trusted the wizards once and we got landed here in this miserable excuse of a forest!"

"I am not mere wizard!" Harry said loudly. The clearing quieted slightly as Harry shouted to be heard. He was unpleasently surprised to learn that, as they centaurs argued, their weapons that had steadily moving downward were jerked back up and aimed again at his heart. "I am Harry Potter! I know nothing of these circumstances that brought you here, but I can guarentee you that I have the means to bring you back!"

The arguing started again. Finally the older centaur called for quiet. "Just saying that you do hold such power, what do you plan to do with the other magical creatures that reside here? Are they to stay here to be poked and prodded by the wizards in their experiments?"

"I do not know of the other creatures," Harry said, glancing uncertainly at Grander. "I have not been here long enough to understand fully what has occured here."

"We were driven from our home for the convenience of the wizarding population!" said a younger centaur loudly. Harry was having trouble telling the centaurs apart as each one had a white horse body, white skin, and blonde hair.

The older centaur called for silence. "We were driven in here hundreds of years ago during the night while we were asleep and unsuspecting. There was an attack earlier that week by the goblins. The Ministry was finished messing with 'animals' such as us and decided that there was only one way to correct the problem. They moved us here and here we have stayed ever since. We are wasting away. We are but shadows of our old selves. We have been too long without the light of the stars."

So that was the cause of their whiteness. Harry felt a rising anger within him for the wizards who had locked such a proud race away like animals.

"Then it is time you returned home," Harry said. "And I will personally stand against all who dare to treat you as unfeeling animals!"

He could see hope on a few of the faces around him, but more still carried suspicion.

"What proof have you that you are who you say you are?" asked the old centaur. "Perhaps you were sent simply to bring us out from our protecting hold over the other animals here!" A few of the hopeful faces winked out.

"I--I have no proof," Harry said. "I--what?" Grander had nudged him in the back.

"You're scar!" Grander hissed.

"My scar?" Harry asked. "Oh. I suppose that would be proof, would it not?"

Harry raised his hand to his forehead where he noticed irrelevantly that he needed a haircut. When his scar was revealed to the clearing, the older centaur stepped forward, staring suspiciously at it. He stepped closer to Harry, his hand outstretched.

Harry felt the slight pressure of his hand for only a spit second before it was jerked away. "It is real!" the centaur gasped.

Mutters broke out in the clearing. Suddenly Harry saw many more hopeful expressions.

Hesitating for only a moment, Harry pulled out his wand. A few of the centaurs drew back mistrustfully.

"I can take you directly to Hogwarts," Harry said. "Or as near as I can make it with the new Apparition spells. You will then be free to do what you choose. I will not ask you to stay if you do not want to. Anyone who wishes to return may do so."

"And what about the other creatures?" asked a centaur. "What are we to do with them? The Ministry members will take them whenever they want to!"

Harry shook his head. "There is nothing I can do. I can take those native to the forest, but the others I cannot. It is not and never was thier home and I cannot take those who do not know how to survive there."

"They could learn to adapt!" said a centaur. "You can't just leave them here!"

"Make your choice," Harry said coldly. "Some of them or none of them. You have my assurance that after the threat of Voldemort is over, I will work on relocating them. There isn't a better person in all the wizarding world who can make that offer."

"You will get the other animals relocated?" asked the old centaur.

"I will."

"Then we will come with you," he said heavily. "It would be foolish to pass up such an oppurtunity to go back to our homeland. We will collect the animals we believe originated with us."

Harry turned to Grander. "Go with them. You've lived on the castle grounds. You should know what animals should go there and which ones shouldn't."

Grander sent one hesitant look at the centaurs (who had lowered their bows) before nodding. He left with those exiting the clearing.

Harry turned back to the old centaur. "I know that this will mean little, but I do apologize for what the wizards have done to your race. No one should have the right to do that."

The old centaur looked at Harry for a minute before nodding. "The humans have forgotten their place. Perhaps when we leave, we will remind them."

Harry nodded. "Of course, if you're lucky, Voldemort will do that for you."

The old centaur nodded solenmly.

Soon Grander returned, looking rather happy. Of course, he had gotten off lucky carrying a Kneazel while the centaur next to him was having to carry the Horklump. A centaur walked up to the older centaur and wispered something in his ear. The centaur's eyes fell on Harry. He gestured for him to follow him a short way away.

"Yes?" Harry asked.

"We have something of a problem," said the old centaur. "You see, we have many winged horses here, but we believe that only the Thestral is native to the forest."

"And no one can see it?" Harry asked. The centaur nodded solemnly. "Do you know vaguely where it's at? I can retreive it if that is your wish."

"It is," the centuar said, nodding. "One of my people will lead you to where they were last discovered to be." He gestured to a younger centaur. He came forward and the old one relayed the message. The younger one nodded and told Harry to follow him.

Harry complied and soon the centaur told Harry to stop. Harry was again amazed that so many creatures could live in such a small space. He gestured for Harry to look through the trees and, sure enough, three thestrals stood there. Harry pulled out his wand and heard the centaur take a hesitant step back. He took a quiet step toward the winged horses.

Three heads jerked up. Harry raised his wand slowly so as not to alarm them and muttered, "Paisible!"

Three heads went back down peacably and Harry walked calmly into the clearing. Conjuring reins (and realizing bleatedly after he had done so that he he was already using up his supply energy), he slipped them over their heads and they said hardly a word of protest. He handed one rein to the centuar who, though he knew about thestrals, seemed slightly surprised that there was a creature on the other end of reins. Harry took two himself and walked back to the clearing with them.

He was rather surprised to see that there were few creature of each race present. He asked the older centaur about it and he shook his head sadly.

"It it our belief that they keep such things as cameras on us at all times. They seem to know when the population is exceeding the 'previously set capacity' and they enter and remove those that they believe are weakest to the race. We do not know what happens to those who are taken, for they are never seen again. We have at times been forced to admit to ourselves that the creatures might, though terribly, been slaughtered. We centaurs know of the concequences and have not had one of our number taken in a hundred years. But the others..."

"Do not understand the stakes," Harry said quietly and the centaur nodded gravely. Suddenly something of what the centaur was saying clicked into his brain. "If they have cameras, then they will know we're here and we must leave as soon as possible."

"You can take all of us at once?" the centaur asked skeptically.

"I can," Harry said, inwardly cringing at the thought of using so much of this depleated supply. Still, he would not be badly hurt and by the sounds of it, something had to be done.

"The numbers are not few."

"It should not matter."

The centaur hesitated before nodding.

"Please..." Harry began.

"Firenze," the centaur replied.

"Firenze?" Harry repeated.

Firenze nodded. "It is customary to be named for one of the great centaurs. It inspires us to continue fighting."

Harry nodded, understanding. "Firenze, I will not have time to look after all the creatures of the forest when we arrive and, as I have learned in the past, the centaurs would much prefer to be left alone. But perhaps I could ask you to ensure the creatures that we place back in the unfamiliar forest can survive. As I understand it, you have been caring for these creatures since they were placed here. That dependance on their part will soon come to an end as they learn to thrive for themselves, but sometimes they may need help and I will not know about it."

"We will do what was can," Firenze said.

"That is all I can ask," Harry said. He turned to the others in the clearing and raised his voice to be heard above the noise. "We will arrive in the forest outside of Hogwarts. There I will leave you. I will be tired after the trip and will not be able to settle you in. I have faith, however, that everyone of you if far more than capable of settling yourselves."

Grander looked quite resolute carrying his little Kneazle (which had started squirming in the uncomfortable postion). Harry was sure it was because of the injustice that the creatures around him had gone through and for the breifest instant, Harry didn't see Grander standing there, but another, very familiar face...

Harry shook his head. He must be more out of it than he thought. Harry checked that everyone and everything was there and (seeing that Grander had set the brooms--and the whole reason for the trip--on the ground next to him) set to work preparing the spell that would take them there. Walking around the crowd of anxious onlookers, he drew a circle in the grass with his toe. The grass lifted back up instantly and no trace of the circle remained, but he didn't need physical evidence that it was there.

The circle was rather big, Harry noticed as he walked around them. He had no doubts that he would be able to take them there, but he was afraid he would use more power than he planned.

He completed the circle and raised his wand, preparing to cast the spell when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Annoyed, he turned to snap at the person when he realized it was Grander and he had a very serious expression on his face.

"I don't want you over taxing yourself," he said.

Harry frowned. "It shouldn't be too bad. I should simply be rather tired when I am through."

"I can help," Grander said. "And don't tell me I'm not strong enough. I survived and even contributed to that spell you placed on the castle. This spell shouldn't be half as hard as that one. Let me help. You know you're going to need it."

Harry couldn't deny the logic behind that statement, but he didn't want Grander in unnessesary danger. He had only begun to shake his head when Grander set his Kneazle down (where it stood, staring up at him) and gestured to those around him, waiting (several impatiently) for Harry to continue. "I'm not moving until you let me help you and I think these people have waited long enough."

Harry's frown deepened but he knew, inside that he would be greatly relieved for the help. Sighing, he nodded. Grander grinned at him, breaking the tension of the situation. "Knew you would if I asked!"

"Don't try anything stupid," Harry said, firmly. "You'll only serve as a conduit to help me channel the magic. You're not to try any spells of your own."

"As if I know any," Grander scoffed, but he ammended when Harry looked at him pointedly. "Don't worry about it. Wouldn't dream of it."

Harry nodded again and raised his wand. He waved it sharply, muttering, "Portatif!"

Power surged through him and he felt his feet leave the ground. He felt the power going through him to Grander and back again. To his pleasent surprise, he realized that Grander didn't seem to be in any sort of discomfort, as Harry had feared he would.

Around him the world changed and, abruptly, he was standing on the ground, feeling less than winded with the centaurs and creatures all around him.

"That was fun!" Grander said happily. "Let's do that again!"

Harry couldn't help but grin at him.


	21. Stepping Closer

Chapter 20: Stepping Closer

The creatures behind him were staring around in wonder at the place around them. A centaur reached out a hesitant hand and touched a leaf on a tree, jerking it back in surprise and touching it again, as though unsure he had felt it right the first time.

Firenze stepped forward his face filled with such wonder and joy that Harry felt an anger welling in him at the people who had taken the peaceful race out of their home.

"I thank you more than you can know," Firenze said. "And if there is anything either of you ever wish and it is mine to give, you shall have it."

Harry shook his head. "There is nothing I gave you that you did not deserve by right. I ask nothing of you and if there ever is, I shall ask it of you on even footing, a deal for a deal, and not demand your service for this long overdue act."

The centaur nodded. "If there is nothing you wish, then know only that you have the alligence of the centaurs behind you on your mission, whatever that may be."

"I thank you," Harry said. "And know that if you ever again need help, you have only to call."

Firenze nodded and he and Harry shook hands.

"I will be on my way," Harry said. "I wish you well."

"And I you," Firenze said. Harry turned and walked into the forest, Grander grabbed the two brooms and followed.

They had not gone long before Grander said, "I had no idea they were in there. If I did, you would have known sooner."

"I didn't even think about it," Harry said. "If I had, perhaps we could have found them before now." He paused thoughtfully. "But those were not even close to all the species of magical creatures that were in the world in my time. I shall have to ask the Minster about the rest."

Grander suddenly stopped, his hand going to his pocket for his wand, apparently on instinct, Harry was pleased to see.

"What is it?"

"I heard something behind us," Grander said. He appeared to be listening hard. Suddenly a small creature leapt out of the woods behind them. Harry had a defensive charm on his lips before he realized what it was.

The Kneazle that Grander had carried earlier came walking out of the trees, crouches low on its cat-like paws. Grander looked at it in wonder. "What is that thing?"

"It's a Kneazle," Harry said. "You know, big ears and spots. You've never heard of them?"

Grander looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Apparently the Ministry has been keeping them locked up for years. How was I supposed to hear of them? What do you know about them?"

"Not much," Harry admitted. "Their teeth weren't sufficiently long enough for our Care of Magical Creatures teacher to pay much interest to."

"What's Care of Magical Creatures?" Grander asked.

"It was a class I had in school," Harry said. "I suppose if the Minstry locked the Magical Creatures up, it wouldn't have made an interesting class. They probably scraped it."

"But what does the Kneazle want?" Grander asked, bending down to look at it. It purred and swated playfully at his nose. Grander yelped and jumped back. Harry laughed. Grander looked horrified for a breif instant before seeing Harry laughing as hard as he was. "He attacked me!" he said indignantly.

Harry started laughing again, harder this time. "That look..." he said through fits of laughter. "was completely...priceless! If I had...a camera...I could taunt...you with it... for years!"

"That's a ferocious animal!" Grander protested, pointing to the Kneazle who had laid down on its belly and put its paw over its face as if in apology. That only made Harry laugh harder.

"I'm sorry," Harry said when he had regained breath. "It's just that, you were so scared!" He started laughing again and Grander seemed to decide he was done waiting on Harry for help. He bent down to the Kneazle again and reached out his hand. The Kneazle inched forward as though wary and sniffed it. Then, just as carefully, it placed a paw in Grander's hand and looked up at him, as if in question.

Harry stopped laughing, though barely, and watched the sceen with amusement on his face. Grander seemed to have recovered from his shock. He bent down and picked the Kneazle up. It purred contentedly in his arms.

"Looks like you've got a new friend," Harry said, his eyebrows raised in amusement. Grander didn't seem to notice. His eyes were fixed on the cat with a look of amazement on his face. "Why do you think it wanted to come with us?"

"Kneazles are supposed to be very good judges of character," Harry said. "Maybe it decided you were a nice person."

"Maybe," Grander said. "No matter. I'm keeping it."

Harry looked at Grander doubtfully. "What do you know about Kneazles?"

"They're good judges of character," Grander said, echoing Harry's words. "And they look like cats."

"Okay," Harry said. "But don't kill it. From what I can tell, it's an endagered species."

Grander looked at Harry in astonishment. "Kill it? That's about the last thing on my list of things to do!"

"Well, come on then. We don't have all day. Voldemort could be attacking the castle as we speak."

Grander rather panicked at this and insisted they go faster. Harry only shook his head and continued at the same place, knowing that Voldemort would not attack twice in the same week.

Finally he got tired of listening at Grander saying to go faster and said, "If you're so insistant on going faster, maybe we should fly."

Grander went very pale. "I--I don't think we should go that fast..."

"No, let's go," Harry said, grabbing his broom. "Let's go. I'll teach you how to fly as we go."

"I have the Kneazle to think about," Grander protested. "I can't take it up."

"The Kneazles are like cats," Harry said. "Excellent sense of balance. I can take it if you want."

"I don't think so," Grander said, clutching the cat to him defensively. "It probably doesn't like you."

Harry reached over and held out his hand for the creature to sniff. "We're flying," he said to it. "Grander's going to have to use both hands if he wants to get it right. You can come with me. We're going to the same place." The Kneazle looked at Harry mistrustfully for a second before looking to Grander for permission. Grander hesitated. Harry raised his eyebrows. Frowning stubbornly, Grander nodded to it and the Kneazle accepted Harry's invitation.

Carrying the Kneazle carefully, Harry casually said, "Up!" and the broom leapt into his free hand and he mounted. The second he kicked off from the ground, he grinned. It was wonderful. He was back in the air, the one place that he had always belonged, despite everything. He was itching to take off and just fly, but he was carrying the Kneazle in one hand and forced to instruct Grander at the same time.

Sighing sadly, he turned to face Grander. "Put the broom on the ground, put your dominant hand over it and say, 'Up'."

Grander did as he was told. He placed his right hand over the broom and said, "Up!"

His broom rolled over on the ground.

Harry shook his head. "Forget it. Just grab and mount, like I did."

Grander grabbed the broom and mounted, hesitating before kicking off.

He was the clumsiest person on a broom that Harry had seen in his entire life. It was hard for Harry as they flew toward the castle, to comprehend how anyone could be that bad. They would have to be trying to be so, but Grander's face had a look of determination mixed with unease as he flew so far off the ground. Harry forgot himself at one point and flew too far ahead. He doubled back quickly when he saw what he was doing and apologized to Grander, but after that Grander redoubled his efforts. With his renewed determination, Harry had to keep a close eye on him. He was being rather careless in his attempt to keep up.

When they finally arrived at the castle, Harry was quite sure that it would have been faster to walk, but he said nothing to Grander, who looked at his broom with an expression that stated clearly that he would never get on a broom again.

"Don't worry about it," Harry said. "One of my friends never liked brooms either."

"That was amazing!" shouted a voice. Harry looked up to see Hannah and Ricky running up to them at full speed. He suddenly remembered what Grander had said about Hannah being on the Quid team. The skidded to a hault in front of them, eyes wide.

"Can I go for a ride?" Hannah asked. Ricky stepped on her toe, though it was hard to see under their robes. "Ow! What? I was just asking!"

"Maybe another time," Harry said, dismounting and giving the Kneazle to Grander.

"What's that?" Ricky asked.

"Kneazle," Harry said. "It's like a cat--"

"I've heard of those!" Hannah interrupted. "I've read about them!" Harry did not miss Ricky's eye roll. "They're supposed to be a really good judge of character and have a near perfect sense of direction! They are intensely loyal if they meet a person they take a liking too!"

"How do you remember stuff like that?" Ricky asked, staring at her with an incredulous expression on his face.

"When I found out about the wizarding world, I was completely fasinated and read everything about it I could."

"Yeah, but that was years ago. Surely you've forgotten something by now!"

"What are you doing out here?" Harry asked, cutting into the conversation. "Don't you have classes?"

"Cancelled," Hannah said, shrugging. "Not sure why. Headmistress Chiden called a staff meeting."

"What?" Grander yelped. "Why wasn't I informed?"

Hannah looked at her teacher very seriously. "In all honesty, Professor, I think you were not invited because the meeting is about you."

"What?" Grander asked again. "I haven't done anything wrong! Headmistress Chiden told me to take the next few days off to recover!" Suddenly it seemed to dawn on him. "Well I'll be da--"

"We should go to the castle," Harry interrupted quickly.

"I don't think you should go," Grander said. "She's probably discussing my hanging around with you and you being there will make it worse."

Harry couldn't deny that point. He directed his next question at the two students in front of him. "How long have they been in there?"

"Quite a while," Hannah admitted. "All classes before lunch have been suspended for it." Harry looked vaguely at the sky and saw that the sun was a little less than halfway across the sky. If the first classes started at nine, they had been in there for ages.

"You should hurry," Harry said to Grander. "And take the Kneazle with you. It can tell you who you can trust."

Grander nodded. He started off across the lawn at a run. Cursing at Grander's slow speed, Harry mounted his broom and kicked off in one fluid moment. He slowed to Grander's speed when he reached him seconds later.

"Get on."

"No way! Never again!" Grander said, running a little faster.

"Don't be an idiot!" Harry snapped. "It's the fastest way and I'll be flying. All you have to do it hold on!"

Grander hesitated for a moment before nodded. He stopped and hopped onto the broom.

"Don't let go!" Harry yelled over his shoulder. Bending closer to the broom, Harry kicked it to go faster. He heard Grander yell behind him and he honestly couldn't blame him. This broom went as fast as his Firebolt at top speed and Harry wasn't even pressing the broom's limits. He released the broom with one hand and Grander yelled again. Doors flew open as they passed and people were picked up gently and placed out of the way. They reached the staffroom in record time. Harry slowed the broom quickly and felt Grander slide forward. He brought the broom to a full stop and the History of Magic teacher fell off. The Kneazle jumped away with a hiss. Harry dismounted as well and help Grander to his feet. He looked rather green.

"Never again," Grander muttered. "Never."

"Glad to be of service," Harry said, grinning despite himself. Students were crowding into the hall to see what had passed them by in such a blur. They all looked quite shocked to see Harry standing there with a broom.

"I better make myself scarce," Harry said. "Good luck." He hesitated a minute, wanting very much to join Grander in the room, but deciding that it would be better if he didn't.

Slowly the crowd began to disperse. Grander had already disappeared into the room with the Kneazle right behind him so Harry was left alone. He bleatedly remembered that he had left Grander's broom outside so that was the direction he took. He decided to waste some time so he walked around to the area the greenhouses still stood, taking a round about route. He realized as he was walking by them that he would have to walk through the graveyard to get to the broom. Deciding that that wasn't where he wanted to be, he again changed his direction and then stopped suddenly when he heard voices.

"This is completely crazy." It was Ricky by the sound of it.

"What's crazy?" Hannah's voice responded.

"You!" Ricky said. "Would it really be such a big deal if you told someone? I mean, what if it could help?"

"How could it possibly help?" Hannah asked scornfully. "It wouldn't make the slightest difference." Harry matched the voices with a location. They were inside Greenhouse One.

There was silence for a moment and then Ricky said quietly, "He's going to get suspicious."

"About what?"

"About how you keep showing up all the time where he's at without anyone knowing how you knew where he was at!"

"That's ridiculous!" Hannah scoffed. "It's nothing more than coinicidence as far as he's concerned!"

"He'll figure it out!"

"How?"

"He's Harry Potter! He always figures it out!"

So they were talking about him. Harry listened closer, hoping for some more clues as to what they were talking about.

"That's not true," Hannah responded. "You haven't read as much about him as I have. He didn't always figure it out! He's not Sherlok Holmes!"

"Who?"

"Never mind," Hannah said. "Listen, my point is, he'll never know unless someone tells him and the only people who know about it are me and you." There was a pointed pause.

"I wouldn't say anything!" Ricky said suddenly, his voice sounding highly affronted that she had even suggested it. "You know me better than that! I'd never do anything of the sort!"

"I know," Hannah said, sighing. "Just try not to be a baby all the time."

"I'm not being a baby," Ricky said grumpily. "I'm just being careful, like I wish you would be sometimes."

"Don't worry about me," Hannah said reassuringly. "I'm always careful. Besides, it only happens when there's trouble."

"So why did it happen just now?"

Hannah paused. "I don't know."

"Maybe something happened just then that is going to cause trouble in the future," Ricky suggested.

"Whatever it is," Hannah said. "It was stronger this time then it has been before. It's like I knew that something terrible would happen."

"Nothing did."

"Really?" Hannah asked so quietly that Harry had to strain to hear. "Just because we didn't see it doesn't mean it didn't happen."

Harry had heard enough. Surely they weren't going to be in there forever and when they came out, they were sure to spot him. He needed to be away before that happened.

Very carefully he inched out of the way and soon was out of both sight and hearing range. He was just breathing a sigh of relief as he approached the brooms when suddenly his forehead twinged. He froze, listening hard. His scar had never twinged just for the sake of twinging and he doubted it would start now.

Perhaps Voldemort was just angry. No, Harry would know if he was sensing emotions. Voldemort was getting closer to him. He knew it. Harry stood there for a moment trying to uncover what it was that was that had caused the pain.

It had gone as quickly as it had come. Perhaps it was a warning. Something was coming. Voldemort would attack. But he already knew that Voldemort would attack...

Harry grabbed the broom on the ground and turned away. What would come would come.

Right now he had something else to worry about and she went by the name of Hannah.

Grander was fuming when he met Harry after the staff meeting. "That horrible woman!" He practically yelled. "Do you know what she was trying to do? Do you?"

"I have a vague idea," Harry said truthfully.

"She was trying to turn the teachers against you and make them kick you out of the school! That filthy cow! Who does she think she is?"

"Headmistress?" Harry guessed. Grander was not amused.

"You would think that you'd take this a little more seriously!" He said. "Seeing as how it's your head on the chopping block!"

"She had them in there for hours," Harry reasoned. "Surely they would have already left if she had convinced them. What did they say?"

Grander brightened slightly. "She wasn't getting support from those who were possessed by the portraits. They saw what they were up against and they thought you were the school's best chance. She told them that she was the headmistress and she knew quite well what the school's best chance was. She said that if you left, Voldemort would leave the school alone."

"Idiot," Harry muttered.

"My words exactly."

"You said that?"

"What else could I say?" Grander said. "Every person in there knows that I know more about Voldemort than anyone other than yourself! That's probably why she didn't want me there. She knew that anything I said would go against her and everything I said carried weight with everyone in there. She kept insisting that she knew what was best for the school. She had supporters, Harry. I managed to quench some of them, but she's planted a seed of doubt now, Harry. You'll have to watch your step."

Harry nodded. Of course, he had heard nothing there that he did not already infer. He stretched and glanced at the clock. "Shouldn't we be going to bed?" It was very late. All classes had been canceled that day due to the meeting. Harry was quite sure that Grander's being there was the thing that had prolonged it. Still, it was late and Harry would be needing sleep. He wasn't in good enough condition to stay awake all night. He would need sleep to regain energy. Grander was too. He was injured as well in the last attack.

Harry pointed this out to Grander and he scowled but agreed.

"I hate being ill," Grander mumbled as they got up from their dinner table to leave. They walked together in silence until they split up to go their seperate ways.

"I'm naming the Kneazle Hermione," Grander said suddenly as Harry said good night. Harry stopped and stared at him.

"It's a girl," Grander explained. "I thought it was fitting that I should name her after one of your friends since you're the reason I have her."

Harry grinned. "It's a good name."

Grander nodded. "Well, good night then."

"Night," Harry said. They split up and went their opposite directions.

Most of the portraits were asleep when Harry entered. Dumbledore was not, however. He nodded silently to Harry when he saw him and when he settled down to go to sleep, Harry was sure he had been waiting up for him.

Harry couldn't bring himself to care. He silently opened the door to the headmaster's bedroom and went inside, feeling the peace of being surrounded by magic. He changed hastily into his night clothes and laid down. It did not take long for him to fall asleep.

Harry was sitting alone at teacher's table of the Great Hall. He turned and saw that Hermione was sitting next to him at the previously deserted table, but it did not seem odd. It was as though he was expecting her to be there.

"I know you," Harry said to her. She nodded, pleased.

"Who else?"

"Is she me?" Harry asked. Hermione grinned and nodded again.

"You've figured out more than I thought you would. I'm very impressed."

"Thanks for your beleif in me, Sirius," Harry said, talking to his godfather who had appeared across from him. Suddenly he frowned. "But who are you?"

Sirius grinned. "You've already met me. You know you have. You just haven't known me yet to be who I am."

"And what about me?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "But you're all alone."

"Times are tough," Ron said, shrugging.

"Who else is there?" Harry asked. Sirius grinned. "There are enough. Still, some you won't know until you meet them."

"Who are you?"

"Who do you think I am?"

"I don't know!" Harry said, getting frustrated. "Why don't you just tell me?"

"I can't," Sirius said, shaking his head. "You have to figure it out on your own."

"But how do I use it?" Harry asked. "I don't understand."

Hermione looked at him, willing him to comprehend. "You do understand. There's only one way."

"Then Voldemort did it?" Harry asked, not believing.

Ron shook his head firmly. "Voldemort cheated. But his is more permenant."

Harry mulled it over in his mind. "So I can't awaken, only bring?"

"Bingo," Ron said.

"And how do I do that?"

"You use what you have," said a voice. Harry looked over to see Dumbledore sitting across from him.

"Who are you?" Harry asked. Dumbledore smiled beninely. "I am no one."

"Oh," Harry said, understanding. "And who are you?" He asked Remus, who was sitting across from him.

"I am with him," Remus said, gesturing to Ron.

"Oh," Harry said. "Which one?"

Remus just smiled at him and Harry knew that he would not tell him. Harry turned again to Sirius. "Who are you?"

Sirius shook his head.

In the corner, a grandfather clock struck midnight.

"You know who it is," said a voice behind Harry, one he didn't recognize. Harry turned around and found himself standing in a ruined Hogwarts with Death Eaters all around him. He was unafraid. None of it was real.

"Who are you?" Harry asked the person. The person who had his face.

"I'm you, genius," said the person, rolling his eyes.

"Then who is Sirius?" Harry asked.

A Death Eater from the circle stepped forward. It lowered its hood and Harry saw Wormtail standing there. Harry's eyes narrowed. Wormtail raised an arm, the bloody stump.

"I am Sirius." He said.

Harry understood. "No..." he whispered.

Harry sat up straight in bed. "That's who Voldemort has."


	22. Really Old Faces

A/N: sobs I'm so sorry! I try so hard to update every Friday and I missed! I have an excuse, obviously, but that doesn't mean it's excusable. I had to help work on an English project for school--making a movie. I got to be the psycho killer, named Bob. I got to kill the killer, and the innocent people!

Gilthas: That's horrible...

Me: shrugs It was all insanely fake looking and the ending stinks because we all got quite bored with it and ready to be finished, but...

Gilthas: sigh You humans can't stay dedicated to anything for any length of time, can you?

Me: I finished this story, didn't I?

Gilthas: Okay, but that's about it. Anyway, great chapter this one, if I do say so myself and a bit more is explained as well as the final battle begins!

Me: Shut up! You're going to give it away!

Gilthas: They're about to read it in a second anyway!

Me: Eh. Anyway, please reveiw!!

Chapter 21: Really Old Faces

Harry could not go back to sleep and he did not try. He sat up in bed and grabbed his robes, getting dressed quickly. He ran his fingers quickly through his hair as he opened the door to his office.

The portraits were still asleep in their frames but each jerked awake when Harry waved his wand and illuminated the room.

"Wh--What time is it?" asked a witch blearily.

"Time to get up," Harry said. "I just figured out who Voldemort has."

"Who?" asked Dumbledore, suddenly looking interested. "I have sent Fawkes to investigate but he has reported nothing that could appear so."

"That's because the person he has isn't the actual person," Harry said. "He has someone who can get me that person."

"I'm not understanding," Phineas said. "You woke everyone up at this hour to speak in riddles?"

Harry opened his mouth to respond when the door flew open. Harry looked up in surprise. It was the middle of the night, after all.

Crocker, the Minister of Magic walked in. He didn't look surprised to see Harry awake.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Trouble," Crocker said. "I came down here as fast as I could."

"Was it the brooms?" Harry asked. "Because that was me."

"It's not that," Crocker said dismissively. "They told me about that. No, it's the prisoners we took in the last attack."

"What about them?" Harry asked, instantly wary.

"They're gone!" Crocker said. "Break out this very night! I came here as soon as I could!"

"How did they escape?" Harry asked.

"I don't know!" Crocker said, shaking his head. "We had them in our maximum security prison. There's no way they could have escaped without outside help."

There was something wrong with this situation. Harry gazed steadily at the man before him. "And you came as soon as you heard?"

"Yes," Crocker said. "I knew I had to tell you."

"Indeed," Harry said.

"Indeed, yes!" Crocker said. He seemed not to understand why Harry was looking at him.

"And what do you propose I do about it?" Harry asked.

"What?"

"It's a perfectly logical problem," Harry said. "I mean, in all honesty, what can I do? They're gone."

"They can't have gone far," Crocker said. "I knew that if we were to hunt them down, I should come get you."

"What time is it?" Harry asked, gazing pointedly at the clock on the wall.

Crocker seemed not to believe his words. "Why does it matter? Don't we have more pressing problems?"

"We do," Harry agreed. "Tell me,do you personally take control of the prison area, or were you just passing through?"

"My men woke me up," Crocker said. "Why should that matter?"

"Because," Harry said. His wand was out and he was twirling it idolly in his fingers. Crocker gazed warily at it. "It is clear by your appearance that you did not just get up. Indeed, that might be explained away by the fact that it might have taken a while to arrive at Howarts. And yet, if you rushed as fast as you claim to have done, your appearance would have decreased, rather than increased."

"I used a spell," Crocker said, shrugging. "I am learning, after all."

Harry shook his head firmly. "Not good enough. It would appear that you are new to this time."

Crocker took a step back. "What are you talking about?"

Harry stood and pushed his chair out of the way. Behind it on a small desk, sat the sneakascope. It was whirling fast and silently under the spell Harry had placed upon it.

Crocker snarled and made for the door. Harry had him floating in the air.

"Tell me," Harry said silently. "What is your name?"

Crocker's face contorted into an evil grin. "Oh, but you know me, Harry. Surely you remember."

"Indeed," Harry said, his eyebrows raised. "If you have as of yet failed to notice, your appearance has changed."

"I have not failed to notice," the man who wore Crocker's face grinned even wider. "But, as I remember, you did not see my true face for quite a while either."

"Crouch," Harry spat. "I should have known. Tell me, did you steal his soul, or was this another example of your Polyjuice Potion?"

"It is neither," Barty Crouch Jr. said through Crocker's mouth. Harry felt a surge of anger. Crocker had been his friend... "This man, this...Minister, if you please, is my decendant. It was easy enough for my master to torture him him for details and then transfer souls. You see, right now, the poor Minister's soul is in my body being sucked from him by a Dementor."

Anger whelled up inside Harry and he slammed Crouch magically into the wall. A horrible laughter rose from Crouch, even as blood ran down his forhead. "Were you friends, Harry Potter? Was this your friend? Need I remind you that it is your fault I was caught and forced into such a punishment?"

Harry felt a horrible anger in him. How could he? Crocker had been one of the first people to believe in him. Now he was dead. He shook his head. "You did it to yourself."

"I didn't!" Crouch snarled. He looked as though he wanted nothing more than to leap at Harry and strangle him. Harry supposed his expression must be a mirror image. "You did it to me! If you hadn't distracted me, I would never had been shot from behind!"

Harry couldn't believe the full stupidity of the man. His anger was sadly misdirected, though most probably it was Voldemort who had told him that it was Harry's fault and Crouch had believed him. Harry was the only living person that was left to lash out at.

"You are a fool," Harry said. "If you have failed to notice, there is no way that you can possibly defeat me. So this has happened twice now, hasn't it? You come in, deceive me, and in the end, you fail. What, you were supposed to come in and convince me that I was to go to the Ministry? Was Voldemort to kill me there? Was that the plan?"

Crouch smiled that horrible smile. Harry found it was horrible to look at on his old friend's face. Harry slammed him into the wall again but Crouch's smile did not diminish. "Was it?" Harry yelled.

"No," Crouch said. "You were not to die today. The Dark Lord wanted you to die when you had nothing left. You were to be gone during the attack."

"Attack?" Harry asked softly. Suddenly it clicked into place. "He's attacking tonight?"

"He's attacking...now," Crocker said. Harry wrapped the man in a spell to prevent him moving or speaking. He left the room at a run. He ran into Grander in the hallway.

"Harry!" Grander said breathlessly, the Kneazle on his tail. "I just woke up and I thought something was wrong and I--"

"Grander," Harry said. "I need you to do something for me."

"What?" Grander asked.

"I want you to find me someone and bring them here," Harry said. "Elizabeth Wently and her parents. You will bring them to my office." Grander nodded and turned to go. Suddenly Hary turned around. "And that's not Crocker," he said quietly. "Do not approach him."

Grander hesitated before nodding.

Harry ran to each common room in turn and told the portraits not to open for anyone--out or in. He had just relayed the message to the Slytherin portrait when the first attack came on the school. He felt the ground shake beneath him and the ceiling rumble overhead. He raced as fast as he could to his office. He flung open the door and ran inside.

Lianna was holding Elizabeth's hand and she was looking fightened at Crocker, still held to the wall by magic.

"What's this about?"

"Voldemort--" Harry began.

The door opened a crack. Harry's wand was out. The next second the door opened and Hannah and Ricky were floating in the air. Harry couldn't believe it!

"What are you doing here?" Harry practically yelled. "I told them not to let students out of the common room!" Ricky looked quite horrified.

"We were out before," Hannah explained though she too shrunk back in the face of Harry's anger.

"Of course," Harry said, waving a hand and dropping them back to the ground. "That odd danger sensor thing you do."

Hannah's mouth fell open slightly and Ricky elbowed her hard muttering, "I told you." Hannah glared at him. "We thought we could help."

Harry gave a short bark of laughter. "You're way out of your leage. Though, I may have some use for you. Stay."

"What are we going to do?" Grander asked. "You can't face Voldemort! Two days ago you couldn't stand! Not even you can be ready to fight him!"

"I have to," Harry said. "But I will not leave the world to his mercy should I fail."

"Then what do you plan to do?" Grander asked. The ground under their feet shook again.

"I plan to send for help," Harry said. "And I shall do it now."

"It will not work," Dumbledore said from his portrait. Harry whirled on him.

"Why not?"

"You have to be outside," Dumbledore explained. "We are most fortunate that Tom decided to come at night. The spell that I believe you have in mind works only in moon light."

Grander raced to the window. "It's overcast!" He shouted as the floor shook again.

Harry cursed. "Doesn't matter." He said quickly, seeing little Elizabeth's freckled face looking at him in alarm. "I have a way out." The people in the room were silent as Harry walked over to a shelf and carefully lifted a box from it. Setting it on his desk, Harry opened it and pulled out two long silvery cloaks.

"I took this from the Minstry yesterday," Harry explained to the assembled group. "And I found this already in here. They are Invisibility Cloaks."

"They'll make us invisible?" Elizabeth asked, looking at the cloaks in wonder.

"Yes," Harry said. If it had been anyone else in the room who had asked the question, he would have snapped at them, but he couldn't bring himself to snap at the little girl that was about to witness something she was too young to see.

Harry grabbed the two brooms as well and tossed one to Hannah. She raised her eyebrows at him.

"I've never flied before."

"Trust me," Harry said quite seriously. "You will be a natural."

Hannah looked quite confused but Harry did not explain. "Grander. You will go with Hannah and Ricky since you've been on a broom. I will take the rest with me." Harry hesitated before going to Hannah and handing her the Invisibility Cloak. "You will land them in safety. Do not let the cloak slip."

Hannah nodded, her face white but resolute.

When they mounted the brooms, Harry swung the Invisibility Cloak over their shoulders and heard gasps from the others. They didn't have time for that.

"Do not let the cloak slip," Harry said.

He kicked off from the ground and heard Hannah do the same.

They flew out the window that Harry magically enlarged at they went. They glided silently into the night and landed on the ground. Harry instructed them very quietly to dismount without removing the cloak and they did it the best they could. Harry heard whispers to the right of him and motioned the others to follow them that way.

"We're here," Harry whispered and the other whispers quieted.

"Harry?" asked Grander's voice.

"Yeah," Harry said. "If we're going to do this, we have to do it fast."

"What are we doing?" Lianna asked stubbornly from behind him. "I'm not putting our daughter in danger!"

"Too late," Harry said, sorry that it had happened to Elizabeth. "We have to do this. It's either a little danger or everyone dies. Always have to make that choice."

"Harry?" Grander asked from the other broom. "What are we doing?"

"Spell," Harry said. "Can't hold them off myself. Not after only two days. I can't do it."

"Who's whispering in the dark?" asked a voice. Harry jerked his head over his shoulder to see who had spocken, putting a finger to his lips to tell the others to remail quiet.

"I heard someone over there."

A figure materialized out of the dark forest.

"Master wouldn't like our plans to go astray," said the figure, his face dark in the moonlight. "Whoever's out there, you had better show yourself and maybe the punishment won't be too severe."

Harry was trying hard not even to make a noise as he breathed. The figure stepped closer.

"I know you're there," he said, not far from Harry now. "Where are you?"

There was a wimper from behind Harry. The man's head jerked around and Harry knew he had to act or risk them all, knowing that they might be scene. His wand in his hand, he summoned ropes to bind and gag the man.

The light attracted attention. Three other men burst through the trees, wand ready. When they saw their fallen friend, they panicked and started sending random bursts of light. More people started appearing. Harry threw the cloak off himself and, waving his wand in a quick jerk, brought a strong wind rushing at the men and knocking them off thier feet.

Harry raised his wand over his head and brought a great sheild around him and the others. Then he raised his voice in a chant and began to shout.

Wind flew from around him in a great windstorm, ignoring the barrier completely, knocking the cloak off their shoulder and them to the ground. It was only a short burst and was gone after that. Everyone around them got hastily to their feet but Harry didn't see them.

Yelling another phase loudly the words of which he never knew until he said them, a flash surrounded him in a circle like a wall of light, so blinding to look at that all had to turn away. The next second it was gone and the darkness surrounded them completely, pressing onto everyone's eyes.

Five people rose off the ground and out of the darkness. The next second the light was back and just as blinding. Everyone sheilded their eyes and five people yelled in fear.

Five shapes entered the ring of light and disappeared behind it.

Inside the light was less, but still enough to see. Harry turned to the five figures and looked at them calmly, one by one.

Grander.

Elizabeth.

Wayne.

The man with no hand.

Hannah.

He turned away from the people and toward the wall of light. He chanted again, words coming out with each breath. Things he was suppose to do. Like the rest of his life was full of.

A portal formed in the light with another blinding flash.

"I need help," Harry whispered to the portal. "Please help me."

The portal pulsed. "I don't have the strength," Hary continued. "I need your help or I will lose."

The portal pulsed again, as though uncertain.

"It's me!" Harry said, louder this time. Voices were whispering in his head.

"Who is it?"

"Did you hear that?"

"What is it?"

"Where did it come from?"

"I need your help!" Harry said. "I can't do this without you and I don't have any time! Please help me!"

The voices came louder. They were coming closer to the portal.

"They need help."

"We have to go!"

"You're crazy!"

"Are you just going to stand there?"

"I'm going in."

"Stop!"

The light flashed green--bright, emerald, blinding green. A figure came out of it. It got to its feet as quickly as it could, looking around uncertainly before stumbling as if disoriented.

"Harry?"

The portal flashed green again, then again. Two more figures came out. Both looking disoriented.

"Where are we?"

"What's going on?"

"Who are these people?"

"Is that Harry?"

"There's a little girl here!"

"Is that Harry?"

The portal pulsed again. A final figure fell through. Harry looked at the figure and the next second, he dropped to his knees and the ring of light vanished though the portal still glowed dully, as though it was barely holding on.

Hands grabbed Harry by the shoulders.

Conserned brown eyes looked into his. Ruffled red hair shone brightly in the dull glow of the portal.

"Get out of the way!" said a gruff voice. More eyes looked into his, checking to see if he was okay. "Bloody hell, Harry! What did you do?"

"How is he?" asked a voice sounding calmer than the others.

"He's fine, Remus," said a the person in front of him. "He's just completely exhausted."

"How is he?" Another person pushed the person in front of Harry out of the way. "Who are you people?"

"Who are you and how do you know Harry?" asked the very angry person who just got pushed. "You don't know him! I'm his godfather!"

Grander dropped back in surprise. "Sirius Black!"

Sirius looked annoyed at the man's reaction. "They cleared my name, you know. You don't have to act like I'm some sort of killer!"

"Sirius," said Remus quietly. "I don't think I'm completely sure where we are."

"That doesn't look like Harry!" said a girl with bushy brown hair. "He's different somehow..."

Sirius looked at Harry closely. "You're right," he muttered. "Harry? Can you hear me? Are you okay?"

With great effort Harry pulled himself back to the present. "Fine," he gasped. Suddenly a very happy, warm feeling filled him. With a lung, Harry caught hold of a very surprised Sirius and hugged him hard. "I'm just fine."

"I'm not sure I understand," Remus said, looking around at the area they were in, his cool brown eyes lingerin for a moment on the portal and each of the people. His eyes paused on Wayne and his eyes narrowed slightly in confusion.

"Harry?" Sirius asked as Harry broke away. "I think you owe us an explanation."

"Indeed," said a cold voice. Every person in the clearing froze. "I see you found the Black's decendant."

"Wasn't that hard," Harry said, scrambling to his feet. "I'm not as stupid as you think I am."

"Th--That's Voldemort!" Ron said, taking a step back. "Harry! That's Voldemort!"

"I know," Harry said, looking at his friend. "I needed help."

"Are we in some sort of alternate dimension?" Hermione asked, looking around interestedly. Her eyes stopped on Grander and she paused, looking at him searchingly. "Who are you?"

"Hermione," Harry said. "Please."

Hermione jerked her eyes away from Grander and looked at him.

"We're in the future," Harry said. "3003 to be exact."

"What?" Sirius yelped. "You mean, 3003 as the date? 3003 A.D.?"

"I didn't mean to pull you into this," Harry said, shaking his head. "But I was losing. I couldn't do it properly."

Hermione's wand was in her hand and pointed at Voldemort's heart. "You leave him alone! We've had quite enough of you! Why don't you just die when you're supposed to?"

Voldemort looked amused. "My dear Granger. I do."

"What's he talking about?" Ron asked. "Harry, why are you 17 years old in 3003?"

"16," Harry said. "Sixteen bloody years old."

"I think I've waited long enough for this little family reunion to progress," Voldemort said. His face twisted into a terrible smirk. "Timeto die, Potter." He raised his wand. Hermione tensed from her place in front of Harry.

Instead of sending a spell, Voldemort shot sparks into the air.

The Death Eaters behind him took the que and surged forward.

Harry yelled a spell and raised his wand into the air. A large, light sheild surrounded the friends, reflecting green in the stubborn portal that refused to close.

Harry glared stubbornly at Voldemort. He knew that a single, powerful spell, such as the Killing Curse, would break his sheild completely. But Voldemort did not shoot the curse. His thin lips curled into a horrible smile. Harry winced under the pressure of the shield as the lesser Death Eaters shot spells at it.

"Drop it," Hermione said suddenly, gripping her wand tighter and looking at the mass of Death Eaters around them.

"What?" Harry asked, caught off gaurd.

"Drop it," Hermione repeated.

"Drop it," Ron agreed.

Harry hesiated a moment before lowering his wand. The sheild fell.

Death Eaters rushed in at him in all directions. He did not expect to have to battle them, hoping to save his strength for Voldemort alone, believing his reputation would keep the lessers away. But it didn't. He had his hands just as full as the others. Either they were too afraid of Voldemort's wrath, or perhaps simply too foolish to know the difference, Harry did not know, but the fact was, he was wasting precious energy battling them-- energy that should go toward Voldemort's distruction.

He heard a yell to the side. Ron had been hit by a curse and was struggling to regain his footing and position from the weak, but ultimately disasterous jinx. A seconds weakness could cost Ron his life.

Harry shot off a great burst of energy, knocking all the Death Eaters near to him unconcious but at the same time using more energy than he wanted. He cursed several Death Eaters battling Ron and his friend managed to get to his feet. He shot Harry a grateful grin before turning his undivided attention back to the battle. Voldemort's Death Eaters were not very advanced in the magical arts, but Voldemort had obviously managed to procure the greater numbers.

Things were not looking exceptionally good at the moment when suddenly the portal gave off a final blast of light. Harry thought that it had finally disapated but he glanced over and saw that another figure had leapt out, not looking disoriented in the least. Harry tensed at the sight.

Suddenly the the ground beneath his feet began to shaking, growing more violent by the second. Harry whispered a hurried spell that lifted him from the ground and heard similar spells being enacted around him.

Harry was ready to attack this newcomer that was clearly controlling the shaking before he realized that all of his friends were in the air and only the Death Eater army was falling through the large cracks now forming in the earth. He hesitated and gradually the shaking stopped, the cracks closed. Everything was quiet, eerily quiet. Those floating released their spells.

Suddenly the figure spoke. "Voldemort," said a voice that Harry knew well. "Fancy seeing you on the other end of a strange portal."

"Who--?" Harry began. The figure walked toward them and Harry was able to make out his features.

"So the runt needs help again, eh?" the other Harry asked. "Should have known. What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Harry was looking at himself. But it wasn't himself. It was someone else that looked like him. The person held out his hand revealing a scar on his wrist shaped like a cobra ready to strike. "Nice to meet you," the other Harry said. "I'm you."

It was Voldemort's turn to take a step back. He was looking at this other Harry with clear fear and anger in his eyes.

A slow smile spread across the features of the other Harry as he laid eyes on Voldemort again. "So, Tom. Still haven't given up this whole, world domination gig for a good desk job?"

"You!" Voldemort hissed.

"Yeah," the other Harry said, looking at the others for support. Harry had the distinct feeling that he had been left out of something major. None of the others looked surprised to see him. "Who'd you expect in your little time travelling sceme other than the veteren time traveler himself?"

Then it clicked. "It's you," Harry breathed. "The other Harry from the other dimension!"

The other Harry frowned. "I thought this was the first we'd met. Did one of you tell him about me?"

"Enough!" Voldemort said. He seemed to sense that he was at a distinct weakness. "It is time for you to die!"

"Only one problem with your plan," the other Harry said. He looked at Harry for a moment and something passed between them, an unspoken agreement. The other Harry continued. "See, if you couldn't beat one of us, what possible chance do you have against two?"

A/N: Bum Bum Bum!!

Gilthas: Yeah, the other Harry that popped out of the portal is the Harry that Phineas told...Harry...about in the previous chapters that caused too much confusion. Same Harry from BTBT and HRI.

Me: I wouldn't be surprised if flames came in saying you hate me because I'm a horrible person for not updating.

Gilthas: I doubt you'll get flames for it, but if you do, we can always use them to throw at dragons.

Me: blink Why? Dragons breathe fire, so aren't they resistant?

Gilthas: Dragons don't breathe fire. They breathe poisonous gas.

Me: Oh. I knew that. Different book series I suppose. I'm going to have to reread those over the summer.

Gilthas: Clearly. Anyway, I shall make the now familiar plea. Review!


	23. The Globe of Nothing

A/N: Hello all! On Friday again! See, I'm not such a horrible person!

Gilthas: snorts in laughter Now THAT'S something you don't hear everyday.

Me: ignores Anyway, this is the very last chapter of this story before the epilogue!! It's so sad! I can't believe it!

Gilthas: Yeah, well it's a long story. It's good it's almost done. Otherwise you'd go on and on and never stop. Oh, and I also want to point out that this is the SECOND story's she's finished since she's officially declared me her muse!! Go me! I rule!

Me: Huh. I knew being in a position of power went to some people's heads, but that's rather ridiculous.

Rand al'Thor from the Wheel of Time series: Responsibility is as heavy as a mountain. Death is lighter than a feather.

Me: ...That's rather morbid, but have it your way!

Gilthas: ...This is one of those times I DON'T comment, isn't it...?

Chapter 22: The Globe of Nothing

Voldemort knew that he was at a disadvantage but he would not surrender easily. He raised his wand and sparks shot out of it. Like hundreds of ants follow directions, Death Eaters walked out of the forest, faces covered in masks.

But a few had left their faces uncovered. They walked behind Voldemort, looking supremely confident, despite the most resent developement.

"Who are they?" muttered the other Harry.

"Lucius Malfoy and the like," Harry muttered back so that all his friends could hear him. "Voldemort stole the others souls and replaced them with the souls of his old crew."

Harry looked and saw Sirius's eyes light up when they landed on the reincarnated Bellatrix Lestrange. "Rematch," he heard him say under his breath. Remus shot him a warning look.

Hermione looked back at the students and parents. "We have to get them out of here," she said to Ron.

"Right," Ron said. He bent down to help Elizabeth but the moment he grabbed her arm, he jerked his hand away, a confused expression on his face. Elizabeth looked up at him in alarm. Ron smiled reassuringly and grabbed her arm again, helping her to her feet. He spotted the brooms and made a dash for them. It was a mark of how desperate the situation was that Ron did not comment on their good quality.

"I hate brooms," Hermione muttered. Grander next to her looked at her in surprise.

"I can take a broom," Hannah said suddenly. "I know how to ride if one of you want to stay and fight."

"I'll do it," Hermione said. Ron looked quite outraged but Grander laid a hand on his arm. "I'll take the other," he said. Ron nodded.

Both Harry's looked at the new mob they had to fight.

"Got it," the other Harry said brightly. Harry looked at him, surprised.

The next second the other Harry bent to the ground and, without even using his wand, placed both hands on the ground and pushed. The ground under Harry's feet shook. It was only a slight vibration to him, but the Death Eaters were dropping like flies. Voldemort muttered a hurried curse to ensure he was off the ground when the vibrations hit, but everyone else was hastily trying in vain to regain footing. The other Harry pushed the ground again and the vibrations increased, forming cracks in the ground. Death Eaters fell through like water.

Voldemort's eyes flashed but it seemed he cared as little for his subjects as he did for Muggles and left them to fend for themselves. Only those more experienced in magic survived the fallout.

The other Harry stopped and looked up from his place on the ground to Harry and the others. Harry expected him to be exhausted but he was not. He didn't look tired in the slightest. "No problem," he said, getting to his feet and dusting his hands.

Voldemort's remaining Death Eaters surged forward though Voldemort himself stood calmly, waiting.

"So let me get this straight," the other Harry said as the battle waged around him. "Not only were we forced to defeat you in the 20th century, but now you want us to come all the way into the 31st century to beat you again? Sounds a little like you're getting desperate, Tom."

Voldemort's eyes flashed. "Or perhaps you are simply getting too meddlesome."

Amusement found its way onto the other Harry's features. "Meddlesome am I? Just now? I thought we'd already established that." He shook his head as though disappointed but his features still wore an amused expression. "Sometimes I think you're a little slower than you let on."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed. "And sometimes I think you are more foolish than you realize."

The other Harry laughed. "Indeed. Though, to be perfectly honest, I do not believe you are in any position to make threats." Suddenly his features were not amused. They were stony and cold and his hand twitched by his side as though longing to throw a spell at him. Harry suddenly decided that, when this was all through, he would like to sit down and talk to this other him.

Voldemort raised his wand.

"Predictable," the other Harry muttered. Voldemort shot his spell and both Harrys spun in opposite directions to avoid it.

It was rather amazing to watch. It was as though a single person found against Voldemort with a mirror image beside him. Both attacks were coordinated and quickly they became accustomed to the other's fighting style, complementing the others strengths and weaknesses.

Harry was fighting faster and harder than he had in his life and he was winning. Voldemort was being pushed back quite rapidly, barely throwing up the appropriate sheild before the curse hit. He threw spells of his own, though mainly at the other Harry and Harry was free to react.

The other Harry was quite good. It seemed as though his wand flowed freely from hand to hand, whichever was more conveinent at the moment, almost as though appearing in one place and then another place by magic.

But the oddest thing about the other Harry was that, through it all, he seemed to be rather enjoying himself, as though he had waited a very long time for a real fight. Harry wasn't sure if he approved or disapproved.

But he should have been watching Voldemort more than watching his twin because the next second he was hit with a spell and plunged into total, absolute darkness...

He had fallen and scrambled hastily to his feet, the darkness and lack of noise pressing into his eyes and ears. Surely he wasn't dead. His eyes would just be closed. He would not be in a dark room. He blinked several times to make sure he was seeing properly. There was no noise anywhere. Harry stood, completely ready and waiting.

Nothing happened. It appeared that he was alone in the world of nothing. Gritting his teeth, he waited, still ready. Had Voldemort simply put him here to get him out of the way as he battled the other Harry? Anger rose in Harry. He was just about to see what he could do to get out of the dark prison when a voice echoed off the walls.

"I know where you are, Potter."

"I can't see you, you can't see me," Harry said sarcastically, inwardly relieved at the sound of life. He twisted his cloak in his fingers and vanished to another spot. Still, he was in darkness.

"I can hear you," Voldemort said. Harry listened hard. Quick footsteps to the left. Harry spun to the side. Light illuminated the area. It was dark for as far as Harry could see. Harry caught a glimpse of Voldemort's smirking face before the light was gone. Harry twisted his cloak and vanished again.

He was still in the globe of darkness. He appeared with not even a pop and stood, not making a noise. Air moving fast to his left.

Harry twisted his cloak and vanished again. He appeared behind the spot he expected Voldemort to be and found he was not there. Harry felt a spell hit him from behind and felt the oxygen leave his lungs. He gasped for breath, knowing he was being loud, but knowing also that he needed to have air.

"Careless, Potter," said Voldemort's echoing voice. "And predictable. I expected better."

Harry's lungs were on fire. He could not speak the words to the counter curse. He would die...

Suddenly he could breath again. Oxygen filled his lungs. He heard Voldemort curse just before he twisted his cloak and vanished, appearing in yet another unknown origin of the blackness. He breathing was too loud. Voldemort would find him.

He vanished again.

"I tire of our game," said Voldemort's voice. "Perhaps I can end it quickly for you."

"If you could have," Harry said, his breathing returning to normal. "I would have been dead back there." He twisted his cloak and vanished again. When he reappeared, he saw a burst of light where he had previously been. He vanished again.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," said Voldemort's horrible voice.

Harry held perfectly still listening, waiting.

Movement behind him. Harry spun and sent a spell that breifly illuminated the area. The figure dodged, quicker than Harry had expected. It was too agile to be Voldemort. Someone else was in the room with them. Friend of foe? Harry didn't know and he wasn't going to take chances.

He sent another spell in that direction and the person dodged again. The sillouete of the person had long hair and they didn't use magic. It was not a Death Eaters or they would have simply Apperated out of the way. The hair was straight so it couldn't have been Hermione...no...could it be? What was she doing here?

Hannah flew with all speed to the castle entrance, Ricky, Elizabeth, and Lianna behind her. She knew in her heart that she had found something that she was good at, without even trying. She had always liked Quid, but it was a hobby. There was never anything she would do on her free time involved. But this flying business was extrodinary! She had never felt so good as she did on a broom and she decided then and there that she would get herself a broom, despite what anyone said. How had the people in the past been able to give it up?

She landed lightly through the open window and into the Headmaster's office. She had sensed danger earlier and left the common room moments before Harry Potter came running up the stairs, telling the portrait to let no one else out. She had then followed him to this office.

She let everyone off the broom. Little Elizabeth looked frightened and excited at the same time. Hannah found the latter of the two more disturbing.

There were shouts below and Hannah raced to the window and looked down. Grander was not fairing so well on his broom. Wayne looked rather green.

Hannah grabbed the broom again and mounted. Ricky grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?"

"I have to help them!" Hannah snapped.

"By doing what? Dying?"

"I'm not going to die," Hannah snapped, her blue green eyes flashing. They looked remarkable green in the light flashing from below that Ricky's mouth opened slightly. They looked like...but no. That was ridiculous. Hannah was Muggle born.

Ricky's hesitation cost him. Hannah jerked her hand away and kicked off. Ricky made a desperate lung for him but he fell short as she whipped out the window.

Hannah flew with amazing control down to the two struggling below. "Take my hand!" she yelled.

Grander threw out his hand gratefully. Hannah seized it and pulled them behind her toward the castle window. It was hard going will all the extra wieght behind her and her incomplete knowledge of the capabilities of the broom beneath her, but she got there and, reluctant to leave her broom, pushed them before her to the window. The people inside helped them in carefully. Hannah was about to follow when she felt something hit her in the back. Her mouth formed the word, "Oh..." before the world around her tilted and she fell from her broom, 150 feet up...

She was unconcious long before she reached the ground so she could not have known that 10 feet from the ground she suddenly slowed. It was as though she was surrounded by light and she stopped completely before falling again, this time as though from a height of only ten feet.

The jolt of it brought her into semiconciousness. She could not bring herself to move because of the spell but her eyes opened blearily and she was aware of not being alone in the room, though the darkness pressed heavily against her opened eyes. She dared not close them for fear of loosing conciousness again.

There was a brief noise, as if someone rising from their feet before there was complete silence. Hannah concentrated on making her breathing as silent as possibly, not knowing who was in the dark world with her.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck. Someone else had entered the world of blackness.

"I know where you are, Potter," said an evil voice. Hannah's breath caught. Somehow she had just managed to get caught in the middle of the final battle of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort...

Harry swore inwardly. So there was someone else in here. Friend of foe, it didn't matter. Either way Voldemort could use it against him. And because of him Voldemort knew about it and Harry would bet his new found broomstick that Voldemort's calculating mind was already trying to figure out how to work it to his advantage.

Harry waved his wand yelling a spell and suddenly a large ball of light exploded, blinding everyone and Harry, knowing what ws coming, turned away from the light and saw who it was that had unexpectedly entered the situation.

Hannah.

Harry held back a curse. Waving his hand, the light went out and they were back in darkness. Running to Hannah, he grabbed her by the sleeve to lift her from the ground and covered her mouth with his free hand to keep her from crying out, and whispered, "Sh!" in her ear.

She froze.

Harry was rather unsure what to do with her. He had to get her out of there or else Voldemort would get her, but thus far he had been unable to leave. He grabbed his cloak with one hand, the other still clapsed firmy over Hannah's mouth and gave it a jerk. The next second they were in a different place,but just as dark.

"Your compassion for others is such a weakness," Voldemort said, his voice, like all other voices in this strange darkness dimension, echoing strangely at all angles. "If you had been less concerned for them, you could have killed me in my moment of weakness."

Harry gritted his teeth. Hannah still had not moved.

Suddenly it clicked. Moving quickly, Harry cast a spell over himself before he and Hannah disappeared again. Then he opened his eyes, and everything (though everything consisted of him, Hannah, and Voldemort. Other than that it appeared at though they were standing in the middle of a very large room with no walls and no ceiling, only a floor that appeared to be covered in whispy smoke) had a green tint to it as though in night vision. He could see!

"Don't move," Harry whispered very quietly in Hannah's ear. He saw her nod and let her go, very slowly, making not a noise. Voldemort had his eyes closed and he was standing perfectly still, obviously listening hard.

Faster than lightning, Harry's wand flew, shooting spell after spell. Light after light streaked through the darkness until even Harry's night vision eyes were blinded by darkness when he stopped.

"Tired of fighting, Harry?" came Voldemort's voice. Harrry cursed inwardly and looked around, trying to see where Voldemort had gone. He was behind him.

Harry whirled on him, wand in hand, and froze.

Voldemort had his eyes closed over Hannah's shouler and his wand pointed to Hannah's head. The next second he opened his eyes and looked right at Harry!

"Are you ready for her to die, Harry?" Voldemort asked calmly. "Are you willing to stand there and watch me kill her?"

Harry was shaking in anger. Surprisingly, Hannah did not have her eyes closed either. She was looking between Harry and Voldemort in fright.

Voldemort raised his wand and Harry moved quickly, but he knew he would be too late. "Avada--"

In self defense Hannah had grabbed his arm desperately and was holding on for dear life. The odd thing was, however, was the look of pain on Voldemort's face. He twisted away, looking at Hannah in surprise, Hannah's expression one of equal disbeleif. He looked at his arm and saw that it was burned and bleeding as though pressed to hot fire.

"What--"Voldemort began. He never finished.

Harry followed through with his attack and the next second there was no one standing there. It was as though he was gone, blown away by the fury of Harry's attack. Harry was breathing heavily and Hannah had leapt out of the way as fast as she could, landing hard on the floor. She scrambled to her feet.

"Where is he?" Hannah asked, looking around desperately.

"He is gone," Harry said. "Why can you see?"

"I don't know," Hannah said. "It's not very clear, but I can sort of see your outline..." she trailed off. Her eyes shone emerald green in the darkness.

"I placed that spell on myself," Harry said. He said nothing furthur on the subject. "We are leaving."

"How?" Hannah asked, looking around at the empty expanse of darkness.

"I am getting us out," Harry said. He knelt to the floor and tapped on it. He nodded. "I thought so. Clouds."

Hannah looked at the floor in surprise. "Clouds?" she echoed.

Harry nodded. He placed his hands on the floor, as his counterpart had done to the ground earlier, and muttered a spell. His hands slid through.

"I will go first," he said. "I do not know how far Voldemort took us and I am not willing to find out by risking your life. You will follow me."

Hannah nodded.

Harry took a deep breath and jumped. He landed with a thud on the ground and looked up, the whispy clouds he had just jumped through inches from his head. Hannah came seconds after. She looked very surprised to be so low to the ground.

"That was easy," she said blankly.

"It was supposed to be," Harry said. "It wasn't supposed to be hard for him to get back down."

"He thought he would kill you," Hannah whispered.

Harry let out a small laugh. "If there's one thing you learn about Voldemort, it's that he always thinks he's going to kill you. Normally he's right."

"What happened back there?" Hannah asked. "Why did he twist away?"

"He was burned," Harry said.

"You burnt him?" Hannah asked.

"You burnt him," Harry corrected. Hannah blinked in surprise and looked at her hands. "I don't understand. What did I do?"

"Nothing," Harry said. He did not miss her confused look but ignored it and instead reached his hand into the opening he had made in the cloud and felt around. "Accio Wand!" he muttered. A wand flew into his hand.

"What are you doing?" Hannah asked, watching him.

"Something I should have done in the first place," Harry said. He looked at the wand, holding it in his hand, palm up. The next second he snapped it in two. It made not a sound but the simple snap.

"Such a small noise for something that caused me so much trouble," Harry said, sighing and looking at the snapped wand in his hand.

She looked at him questioningly but Harry was suddenly looking around questioningly. "We must find the castle."

"How do you know we're at the castle?"

"Because Voldemort would have wanted to emerge victorious. That's--"

"I hear voices!" yelled a voice suddenly. A girl with bushy brown hair burst through the trees, her wand held high, looking around. "Found them!" she yelled loudly.

"Harry!" she said, turning to him. "Are you okay? You just vanished! We weren't sure what happened! Who are you?" she had spotted Hannah.

"Hannah Smith," Hannah said, holding out her hand. Hermione took it, looking at Harry questioningly.

"Student from the school," Harry explained. At the moment he was rather tired. Long explanations would take too much effort.

Hermione looked at him, uncomprehending. "And you thought you'd take her on a learning experience?"

"I don't have any idea how she got here," Harry said, looking at Hannah questioningly. "She was just here."

"Sounds like someone else we all know," Hermione said with a smile. Harry looked at her quickly.

"Who?" He asked. She looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Me?" he asked. "Balderdash."

Hermione laughed. Ron burst into the clearing, followed by Sirius and Remus. Following behind and looking like he really didn't care what was happening came Harry's other self.

Before Harry did not have time to think about the situation because the the immediate threat was more pressing, but now, looking at his other self, he had to admit that the entire thing was rather...odd.

"Did you kill him?" the other Harry asked, snapping Harry from his thoughts. Hannah was looking very confused, looking from one Harry to the other.

Harry nodded. "Dead as a doornail."

The other Harry raised his eyebrows. "You just disappeared and killed him? Rather melodramatic, don't you think?"

Harry shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I've already beat him. There's no good that comes out of having to beat your worst enemy twice."

"Never thought I'd hear myself talk of honor," the other Harry said, shaking his head.

"Not honor really," Harry said. "Good."

The other Harry rolled his eyes at him and turned to the others. Their battles were over.

"You were gone for a long time," Hermione said.

"Not really," Harry said, shrugging.

"It was a globe of nothing," the other Harry said, examining the dark clouds above them. "No time. No light. No noise. No nothing. The consept of how much time had passed when inside it was probably confused somehow." He shook his head in disbelief. "Not an easy thing to do, that. Ol' Voldemort must have been pretty sick of you."

Harry sighed. "Not half as sick as I am of him."

A/N: Tadda! And sob! It's done! Oh, please wait for the epilogue! It might explain a few things that you haven't figured out yet if you haven't figured it out yet.

Gilthas: Like that stuff that you might not have figured out yet.

Me: Exactly! It's like you're reading my mind!

Gilthas: ...


	24. Epilogue

Chapter 23: Epilogue

Harry took a deep breath and grinned at his friends. "Ready?"

"We were ready ten minutes ago," the other Harry said, pretending to look at a watch he didn't have.

"Okay, okay," Harry said. "Right."

"Are you going to do it or am I?" the other Harry asked.

Hermione elbowed him in the stomach and he cringed. "Thanks," he said sarcastically.

Harry placed one hand on the castle wall and, taking a deep breath (at which point the other Harry whispered, "Why's he so nervous? Hasn't he done this before?) and pressed against the stone wall, yelling a charm. Magic flowed through his hand touching the wall and out his other had, into Ron's, who added his own magic and then transferred the flow to Remus, who, after adding his own, transferred it to Sirius, who transferred it to Hermione, who transferred it to the other Harry, who then transferred it to the stone wall. They formed something of a semicircle with the wall as the diameter.

"Easy as pie," the other Harry said. "The founders themselves couldn't have done it better."

The friends grinned. "I'm starved," Sirius said. "Let's go eat. Does Hogwarts still have house elves?"

Harry saw Hermione's mouth tighten and grinned. "Fully paid house elves."

Hermione smiled.

The other Harry rolled his eyes, looking bored.

"Do we get to sit at the teachers' table?" Ron asked. "If you remember, I was the only one of the trio who didn't get to eat up there at the Yule Ball."

Harry grinned. He had been doing that a lot lately with his friends. "Sorry to disappoint you, but the enchantments on the plates that made ordering easy are gone. We have to go to the kitchens first."

"I bet we can fix that," Ron said. "Let's do it. It should be fun."

"I'm game," Sirius said. "What about you, Moony?"

"Even if I disapproved," Remus said with a grin. "I'm getting too old to argue."

Sirius let out a bark like laugh. "Stop it, Moony! Now you're making me feel old!"

At that moment Grander came down the hall. He stopped when he saw everyone together and hesitated but Harry called him forward.

"Hey, everyone. This is Roger Grander--"

"If you have any sympathy you'll call me Grander," Grander muttered.

"Grander, this is Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, my...er...other self I suppose- -"

"Striking resemblance," Grander said with a grin as he shook the other Harry's hand.

"Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

Grander shook each of their hands in turn and paused when he got to Hermione. "It's an honor to meet you in person," he muttered.

­

Hermione glanced at Harry in confusion. Harry grinned and mouthed, "Tell you later".

"Harry," Grander said, turning to him. "The Headmistress requires your presence in her office."

Harry groaned. "Bloody hell, Grander! Couldn't you have told the old crone I was dead?" Grander grinned half heartedly.

"Now this woman I must meet," Sirius said, grinning at Remus.

"As your old teacher, Harry," Remus said with a grin. "I cannot let you say such things about the Headmistress without comment."

"And your comment is?" Harry pressed.

Remus smiled. "I will reserve judgment."

"Lead the way," Harry said to Grander.

They went down the hall. As they were passing the Great Hall, little Elizabeth Wently and her parents came out. Lianna tried to move her daughter as quickly as possible away from them but Elizabeth watched them over her shoulder and Wayne held back for a moment before following.

"Who is that little girl?" Ron asked.

"Is that her father?" Remus wanted to know.

Harry grinned at them. "The little girl's name is Elizabeth Wently. Wayne is her foster parent. Elizabeth is the only remaining (as far as I know) Weasley descendant."

Ron stopped dead in his tracks. Even Grander looked at Harry oddly. "How did you know that?"

"Come now, Ron," Harry said with yet another grin. "You should know by now that I'm incredibly smart."

The other Harry snorted. He shrugged when they looked at him. "Sounds like me," he said.

"And the foster father?" Remus pressed. "Who is he?"

"That would be the descendant of the Lupin family," Harry said with a nod. "Dunno if he's the last. I just know he is."

"And who's my descendant?" Sirius asked. Harry hesitated. Sirius winced. "Okay, I'm ready."

"He's the guy with the stump arm," Harry explained. "He's the Death Eater."

"Typical," Sirius said with a sad smile. "I had to get the bloody Death Eater."

"What about me?" Hermione asked. Harry hesitated again, with a glance at Grander.

"Hermione," Harry said, "You've already met yours."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, though she too was looking at Grander.

"He means Roger here," the other Harry said without tact.

Grander grinned sheepishly at her before sending a look to the other Harry. "Grander, Miss. Not Roger."

"Grander, Granger," Remus said. "Makes sense."

"I thought so," Harry said shrugging. "Plus other things, the filthy bookworm." He said the last part in mock anger.

Both Grander and Hermione scowled at him. That got Sirius laughing the rest of the way to the Headmistress's office.

When they arrived, Grander knocked politely on the door.

"This isn't where Dumbledore's office used to be," Ron said, looking around the hall.

"Long story," Harry said. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door when he heard Chiden's voice say, "Come in."

"Why hello, Headmistress Chiden," Harry said in a 'genuinely' polite voice as he entered. "Nice day isn't it? I pray I find you well?"

Chiden glared at him. Then she looked at the others in the room. "Who are they and why are they here? I didn't ask for them."

"I've forgotten my manners," Harry said in his phony polite voice. "This is Ron--"

"I don't care who they are," Chiden snapped. Remus's eyebrows were raised and Sirius was looking at the woman with open dislike. "I just want them out of here."

"Well, if I did that," Harry said. "They wouldn't have anywhere to go."

"Another bunch of refugees?" Chiden asked. "Listen, Voldemort's dead! You can go home now! We don't want you here!"

Hermione looked flabbergast. "Excuse me, Headmistress," she said, pushing her way to the front. "But I don't think we've done anything to you and I certainly don't appreciate you treating us like we're a bunch of trash running away to save our own skins--which we're not! And even if we were, that would be better than joining Voldemort, wouldn't it?"

"What she said," said the other Harry, an angry look on his face. Harry looked at him oddly and the angry expression changed to a smirk as Chiden's eyes landed on him.

"Cloning yourself now? I though you didn't approve of all this technology!" Chiden snapped.

Harry sighed. "Another useless attempt to explain away something that you don't understand. Did you know that if you actually listened for a change, you might learn something?"

Chiden waved his words away with one hand. "I didn't call you here for another row--"

"I'm shocked," Harry said sarcastically.

Chiden glared at him but continued. "I just think that you should know, the Minister of Magic, originally the senior under secretary to Minister Crocker, God rest his soul," Harry felt a jolt of sadness at the thought of where Crocker's soul was now, "Has informed me that it is time for me to step down." Suddenly Harry was listening hard. Where was this going?

"She has also stated," she continued. "That you are to have the position once I have left. As I cannot go against the Minister's command, I saw it best to tell you now so that you may prepare. I will leave at the end of the school year. You are dismissed."

Harry didn't know what to say. He was to become Headmaster? That was crazy! And yet...

Hermione tapped him on the shoulder and motioned that they should go. He nodded.

When they were outside, Sirius let out a long whistle. "Some people have all the luck! They want you as Headmaster? You're only 16!"

Harry scowled. "I'll have you know that I'm much older than 16 and that it is my body alone that appears 16. I'm more like 50 something."

"50!" Sirius said, sounding outraged. "50! Why did you only live until 50?"

Harry's scowl did not lessen. "I don't know how long I lived. I don't remember dying!"

"Well that's good," Hermione said reasonably. "I would hate to go through life knowing how I died."

"Did you know that if a random person heard you say that," Ron said thoughtfully. "They would have no idea what you were talking about?"

Hermione scowled at him. "But we know what I'm talking about!"

Remus put a hand to his forehead in mock exasperation. "Here we go again!"

Harry laughed. "Are you guys going to stick around long enough to help me finish the charms on the castle?"

"Sure," Sirius said shrugging. "Don't see why not."

"Great!" Harry said enthusiastically. "Then you can help me with my classes too!"

"You have classes?" Ron groaned. Everyone laughed.

Harry knew that his time with his friends was finally winding down to a close, but that didn't make their leaving any easier when the day arrived.

The castle's stone walls were alive again with magic and spells and all the computers and technology had been efficiently removed. They were standing outside on the grounds on the recently errected Quidditch pitch. Normally it had a score or so of students outside flying around on their brooms (Harry would have to see what he could do about the laws against his favorite sport), but today it was empty. Harry had ensured that it would be so by placing a repelling charm on it.

He looked at his friends with no little measure of sadness in his eyes, knowing that he would never see them again for as long as he lived--though in all honesty, he did not know how long that would be with the new, coming- back-to-life development.

­

While the other Harry worked on the portal, Harry said good bye to his friends.

Hermione had tears shining in her eyes as she gave him a good-bye hug. "You'll be okay, won't you? You won't go mad being by yourself?"

Harry shrugged uncomfortably. "I'm not by myself really. I have Grander, after all. And, apparently, a new teaching position." Hermione nodded.

"Well, I certainly don't want to see you go mad," Sirius said, obviously attempting to make it look at though the good-bye meant nothing. "I mean, after all, you've been my godson ever since you were born!"

Harry grinned. "I won't go mad. Promise."

"And don't let those Ministry guys push you around," Ron added. "Seems to me that those Ministry members have too much control over Hogwarts. You'll need to beat that out of them, of course."

"Of course," Harry said, matter-of-factly.

"Make sure those kids get plenty of education," Remus said. "I hate the thought of those computers back at Hogwarts."

Harry nodded. He tried and failed to swallow the lump that was rising in his throat.

"You'll tell Grander good-bye for me, won't you?" Hermione asked. She had spent a great deal of her time here with the man, telling the eager listener all the stories she could remember from Hogwarts, from Harry's saving Sirius to the embarrassing valentine Harry had received his third year from Ron's younger sister. She seemed as eager as Grander to ensure the stories weren't lost forever (though Harry had made it perfectly clear that should some of those stories ever be known to the general pubic, he would hold Grander personally accountable. Grander had just grinned, adding nothing anything to Harry's sense of security).

"I'll tell him," Harry assured her.

"And say good-bye to Elizabeth as well," Ron said with a grin. He sent a smug look to Hermione. "At the rate that kid's going, she's going to know more magic than you did when you went to Hogwarts."

"And how could she not, learning under Harry?" Hermione said defiantly. "My heir never had a chance."

"Say good-bye to Wayne for me," Remus said. He had not spoken often to the foster parent, but clearly something about Wayne's lineage and his lack of werewolf status had made Remus rather protective over him.

"Oh, and make sure you beat my descendant mercilessly," Sirius said with a grin. "Until he's black and blue all over."

"Sirius!" Hermione said in surprise.

"Lived with that bloody type my entire life," Sirius said, shrugging. "My only regret is that I couldn't do it myself. Besides," he said, his face showing some anger. "If he brought Voldemort back, it's his own bloody fault!"

"He is not your only descendant," Harry said to stop Sirius anger. "And you can rest assured that I will find your true heir as fast as I can."

Sirius nodded.

"There's something I haven't figured out about all this yet," said the other Harry suddenly, coming to stand next to everyone. "If the descendant was required to bring the person from the past, how did I get here?"

"Oh?" Harry said in surprise. "I thought you had figured that out already."

The other Harry scowled at his obvious ignorance on the subject. "I just haven't had enough time, is all."

Harry smiled. "Hannah."

The End.


End file.
